Veni Mecum
by Marshmellowtime
Summary: "It means come with me." Her hand slipped into his, and her gaze rose upwards, meeting his own. "Okay." She'd help them any way, any day, that's what friends were for. But when she agreed to be their mechanic, she was expecting nuts and bolts. Not psychos and super villains intent on taking over the world. Wally/Oc/Roy
1. the dice has been cast

**Thank you for taking the time and clicking on the little blue letters that lead to this story! I hope you all enjoy. :)**

**I do not own Young Justice.**

**Without further ado...**

**I bring to you...**

**A Marshmellowtime Productions...**

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><p><strong>Veni Mecum<strong>

Chapter One:

"_Alea iacta est"_

_._

_._

_._

"The dice has been cast."

* * *

><p>"You really think you can stop me <em>that <em>easy?"

A slow smirk crawled up her lips, golden amber irises flickering amidst the moonlight as long black and brown locks tumbled past her shoulders. A breeze flickered through the two as she tilted her head back, fingering the array of weapons at her disposal.

The Shadows member across from her snarled, pulling back her hands to reveal crackling bolts running up and down her arms, masked and deadly as a fanged grin met her smirk. "You silly little heroes never get it, do you?"

Her finger tapped a dagger at her side, and the hilt extended outwards, morphing into a short-sword as she let it slide out of its sheath. The villain across from her narrowed her eyes, snarling as the sword in her hands began to crackle, light blue bolts zipping up and down the customized blade.

"Maybe you're just a bad teacher," her eyes flickered and she shot forward, dark locks tumbling behind her like a black waterfall as her cape rippled behind her, a cloud of shadows. The villain charged, teeth bared and snarling like the vicious beast she was, and the fearsome Black X could only smirk, resisting the urge to cackle like her friend as she swung her sword around.

"You're finished—"

"_Lady Elliot?"_

Black X skidded to a halt, her sword millimeters from shattering the fiendish foe before her as she blinked, glancing from side to side. "What?"

The villain before her blinked in confusion as she paused. "Hello?"

"_Lady Elliot."_

"What in the world—" the world around her began to crumble slightly as Black X blinked, her eyes widening behind her mask as she staggered backwards, the villain letting out a victorious hoot. "One second—"

"_Lady Elliot, you'll be late."_

_Late? I'm fighting crime right now—_

"Lady Elliot."

"I won!" Tousled, forever messy black and dark brown locks tumbled down slim shoulders, once pristine white shirt stained and slathered in bits of grease and oil. Golden eyes flashed back and forth rapidly, a small line of drool down her mouth as she jerked her head from side to side. "Where's the medal? What's going on—_is that bacon_?"

Alfred took a calm step back from the wild mess before him. Elliot glanced from side to side, a white paper with sketched blue prints stuck against her cheek as she blinked, finally recognizing her trusted butler and friend beside her. "Alfred! What time is it? Man, I'm starving—"

"Lady Elliot," Alfred nodded in greeting as the girl realized the mess she was in as she glanced down at her workshop, her desk littered with tools and plans, gadgets and knick knacks galore. "A good...morning to you too. Food has been prepared, though I am afraid you may be pressed for time if you wish to make the event today."

"Event? Why would I miss breakfast?" Elliot grinned, peeling the paper away from her cheek and frowning when she realized it'd left an ink stain on her cheek.

"My lady, are you aware of today's current date?"

"'Course, July fourth! Happy birthday to America," Elliot waved her hand until she froze, her face growing deathly pale as it suddenly dawned on her what was happening. "July fourth...Oh man, oh man—Al, what time is it?"

"Twelve o' clock," Alfred glanced to the clock she'd built herself on her desk, ticking as the gears shifted wildly behind the frame. "I daresay if you make haste, you'll make it in time—"

"I need to get ready!" Elliot shot upwards, surging forward only to trip over a wrench she'd left lying about. A muffled curse left her lips and she pulled out a leather strap, pulling her tousled locks into a ponytail, save for a few stubborn fringes that framed her face.

She leapt over scattered tools and projects and swiped her boots off her desk, hopping this and way and that as she shoved them on. "I'd love to eat, but I've really got to hurry, do you mind putting it away—"

"Certainly," Alfred watched, faintly bemused as his second charge ran this way and that, gathering her things together. "Shall I prepare a fresh batch of clothes—"

"No need!" Elliot swiped at a black oil stain on her shirt, succeeding in smudging it downwards as she grinned, grabbing her skateboard off its mantle. "I'm running late, I can't miss their big day now, can I?"

"Yes," 'Alfred frowned slightly. "But would it be alright to arrive in such a state—"

"I'm sure they won't mind!" Elliot shrugged on a loose leather jacket and laced up her boots, adjusting the crisscrossed belts along her hips, containing her tools. "I'm not making much of a press appearance anyway."

"Shall I arrange a ride for you then?"

"My baby's quicker!" She tapped her shoes together, a gentle blue light coming from the soles as she stepped onto her skateboard.

The sleek black board began to hum beneath her, the golden letters _E.W _inscribed onto the bottom. She tapped it once and the bottom split, the hum growing louder as small jets appeared beneath the board, beginning to raise it upwards. Her fingers clamped down on the black goggles atop her head, similar to a certain friend of hers as she slipped them over her eyes. Elliot ran a hand through her hair, frowning when it caught on a knot before she turned to Alfred, flashing him a hasty wave. "Thanks Alfred!"

"Have a safe trip," Alfred offered; waving calmly as the teen grinned impishly, her board thrumming beneath her as it took off into the air, shooting into the sky and above buildings to bring her to her destination.

Today was _their _day after all.

* * *

><p>"Where's El?" Robin glanced around the area before turning to Batman, the older man silent as the assembled heroes began to gather together. "She's coming, isn't she?"<p>

"She'll be here." Batman didn't doubt that, but he did doubt his semi-adoptive daughter's ability to arrive on time on her own as she'd requested.

"She's coming?" Speedy glanced sharply to the bat duo, arching a brow beneath his mask. Robin grinned impishly in response. "She should know she doesn't have too—"

"Today will be a special day for Elliot as well," Green Arrow cut in, and Speedy turned, gazing at his mentor questioningly. "But let's let her find that out for herself."

"She deserves it," Robin agreed, turning to Aqualad he added, "I don't think you guys have met, have you?"

"I have yet to be acquainted with this friend of yours." Aqualad agreed. "But I will look forward to our meeting."

"Knowing her she's going to run in halfway," Speedy shook his head. "No, she's going to get lost and—"

"I'm here!"

Eyes shot towards the sky and Robin smirked as the white and black figure began to come closer, the board beneath her feet lowering her to the ground until the wheels hit and it rolled, rockets retracting back into the board. Elliot flashed the heroes a bright grin, smudges of ink on her cheek as she waved, pushing off on her board and riding towards them. "Sorry I'm lat—whoa!"

Her board caught on the stair and she toppled forward, nearly tripping over her own feet until a firm hand caught her shoulder. The teen blinked as she was set upright and she flashed Speedy a bright smile. "Thanks R—Speedy." The archer rolled his eyes, ruffling her already tousled hair before he straightened his own posture.

"Glad you could stop by," the girl flinched as she turned to Batman, flashing him a wide smile as she beamed.

"I made it though, didn't I?" She adjusted her belts and grinned, offering the heroes before her a salute. "Ready to go!"

"I believed I mentioned that this would be an important day, not only for them," Batman inclined his head towards the others, "but for you as well."

The girl deflated slightly, knowing the man before her long enough to understand how to act, and just how far she could really push his buttons. "I know, I know," Elliot grinned impishly, laughing as she moved to stand beside Robin, fist bumping the boy wonder before turning back to Batman. "But look, I made it!"

"Aw, man!" A gust of wind came barreling their way as the Flash came to a stop, his younger copy skidding to a rougher halt as Kid Flash stood, a pout on his lips. "I knew we'd be the last ones here!"

"Yeah," Robin chuckled, slinging an arm around Elliot's shoulder. "You made it just before Kid Mouth over here."

"Ellie!" Her ponytail flew backwards as Kid Flash appeared before her, grinning brightly, emerald eyes shining as he leaned forward. "You came! I was hoping you would make it!"

"Both orders and my own choice," Elliot smiled brightly at the vibrant red head; Kid's face not hiding a single emotion as he beamed down at her. "I wouldn't miss such an important day for you guys. I even brought my camera." She patted her tool belt.

"And you as well," Batman reminded, a gloved hand coming down on her shoulder as they glanced upwards, the large doors to the Hall of Justice awaiting them—their inner sanctum. The crowd's voices grew, but all she could feel was Robin at her side, Kid and Speedy close by, and the small group of people that made up her little family beside her.

Today felt like a good day.

"Think you could've dressed up a little though?" A gloved finger brushed her cheek and Elliot blinked as Kid flashed her a bright grin. "You look like you just woke up."

"I was just a bit busy before all this," she idly rubbed at the ink stain on her cheek, straightening her rumpled shirt and adjusting her belt once more. "Unlike _you_, I have a life."

"I'm _so sure _being cooped up inside that little workshop of yours is a life," Kid continued to grin as Elliot's cheeks flushed slightly and she rubbed the back of her neck. "I mean, it wouldn't have hurt to doll yourself up a little, would it?"

"Please, you should've seen the nightmare it was to get her into a dress as kids," Robin smirked, while Elliot rolled her eyes, elbowing the raven haired boy in the side.

"Who's that?"

"Another sidekick?"

"I haven't seen her before—is she new?"

"Isn't she—"

"I thought I wasn't making much of a public debut," Elliot murmured, suddenly feeling her skin crawl as she receded a little closer to the group, for once not cursing Speedy and the rest of her friends for their height advantages. The towering bodies of her friends seemed to dwarf her size, and she was lucky to still manage to come a few inches taller than Robin.

"You won't be," Batman answered. His eyes darted to her beneath his cowl and seemed to skim over the others beside her. "And it should stay that way."

"I'm glad we're all here," Aqualad commented, and Elliot paused, realizing she hadn't introduced herself to the other teen yet. Though she was well aware of who he was, it was still her first time managing to come face to face with Aquaman's partner.

She rubbed the back of her neck before turning. Aqualad's pale, sea glass eyes met her flickering amber irises, and she offered him a small upturn quirk of her lips, extending an ink stained hand. "I'm El—um," Batman eyed her carefully. "Mecha. You can call me Mecha. It's nice to meet you."

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Mecha." Kid Flash snickered at her choice of alias, but after a thorough discussion with Batman before, if she were to be taking any part in their activities—which was rare considering that Batman often kept her behind the scenes unless he deemed it necessary for her to even show her face—she was to have an alias on hand. Though he may not be as strict on her about identities as he was with Dick, he did not spare her any mercy when it came to learning what she had to know if she wanted anything to do with their work.

"Have all four sidekicks ever been in the same place at the _same _time?" Kid Flash inquired, and Speedy paused, turning sharply to the speedster.

"_Don't _call us sidekicks." He turned to face forward. "Not after today."

Kid blinked, looking surprised before he shrugged. "Sorry... First time at the hall, I'm a little overwhelmed."

"You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed, why isn't anyone just whelmed?" Robin sighed as they made their way through the doors and into the Hall, cameras going off as heads turned upwards, the looming statues of the Justice League members bearing down on them. "Maybe that's why..."

"Imagine the kind of metal it took to make these babies," Elliot commented suddenly, forgetting everything else as she stepped forward, eyes shining. "There's got to be some actual gold in there to give it that sheen, maybe a little steel for the layout—"

"Stay sharp, kiddo," Flash turned the girl forward as the metallic doors before them slid open.

Two figures stepped forward and Elliot's eyes flickered in recognition. The Martian before them inclined his head calmly, while Red Tornado stood silently beside him. "Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash," his eyes dipped lower and landed on the oil smeared girl beside them, "...Mecha; welcome."

Robin and Kid Flash grinned, fist bumping above Elliot's head before the girl held out both hands, doing the same to them as M.M lead them further into the hall, leaving behind the press and citizens who'd decided to witness this event. The doors slid shut behind them, and Elliot felt a gentle pounding in her chest as she swelled with pride. Even if she wasn't the one getting a name for herself, the others were, and to her, the idea of them finally getting the recognition deserved for all their hard work mattered the most.

_You wouldn't mind being apart of that. _A small part of her whispered, and she paused briefly at the idea. _You want to be out there fighting as much as them._

_You want to help too._

_I'll do what I can behind the scenes. _She fingered the tool belt at her waist, eyes softening. _Anything for them._

"You now have unlimited access to the gym, our food stalk gallery, and of course, our library." Elliot's brows furrowed slightly at this news. _Little steps I guess._

The dark hallway opened up to reveal a wide, towering room. Walls rose on all four sides, shrouded in shelves until a center computer and grid system gazed back at them from the front of the room. There were a few lounge chairs laid out and Flash turned to them, opening up his arms wide. "Make yourselves at home."

Robin and Aqualad quickly settled into chairs, Kid Flash offering a seat to Elliot. The teen shook her head, fiddling with the goggles around her neck as she made a small circle, eyes the long walls and architecture of the room appraisingly. But her gaze moved toward the grid beside the heroes, looking the computers and mechanics up and down, her mind already taking apart and putting together the little nuts and bolts that made this system work.

Yellow and red flashed in the corner of her eye and she turned, noting Speedy's tautly drawn brow, his lips curled downwards into a slight frown, watching their mentors as they gathered together, talking amongst themselves. Her mind churned until it clicked, gears settling into place as she sidled over to Speedy, his attention flickering to her as she grinned. "Excited?"

"This can't be it," Speedy muttered, his frown deepened. "If today's the day we finally get accepted into the League, what are they doing muttering to themselves?"

Elliot hummed, drumming fingers along her tool belt before she answered. "I'm sure there's some reason to all this, you know how they are." Speedy flashed her a doubtful look, but she gently ignored his seemingly tension rising mood in favor of trying to put him at ease. "You guys are their partners; they wouldn't just leave you out."

Speedy was silent, brooding, and she mindfully added. "Besides, where would Arrow be without you?"

The corner of his lip turned upwards in a half-smirk, and she mentally cheered in her mind. Though shameful, it seemed Roy could never get enough of being complimented, and with an ego bigger than his head, she'd found she could work around it from time to time if she really wanted too. Knowing him for as long as she did had its perks.

_But that also means he won't be patient for long..._Her train of thought came to an abrupt halt when he grunted, gloved hand reaching outward and pinching her cheek. Elliot winced and batted at his hand as he eyed her critically. "And what _is _up with your outfit? Couldn't you have bothered to show up a little nicer?"

"Cut me some slack, I was working all night," his fingers left her cheek, but not before rubbing away the ink stained smear and she huffed. Her cheek now swollen she took a mindful step back and eyed him warily before she continued. "And it's not like I have a uniform like you guys. I mentioned to Batman how I wanted to come, and he said he'd been meaning to tell me that I would have to be here today anyway, something important apparently."

"Important?" Speedy looked curious. "Like what?"

"Beats me," Elliot shrugged, fixing her now rumpled shirt and adjusting her belt.

Speedy's eyes suddenly narrowed, the corner of his lips turning downwards. "Do you think he wants you to start getting involved?"

_I thought I already was. _"Maybe, but a bit doubtful." _I wouldn't mind though. _Elliot rubbed her cheek, and looked down thoughtfully. "I've been on a few patrols," _Rarely. _"And I'm fairly capable with fighting—" Speedy snorted at that. "But Bats tends to let me work in the safe enclosure of the cave."

In short, since the day she'd finally managed to convince Batman to let her fight crime with him, she'd been out on a missions with him and Robin _six times_ over the _years. _Given, it was more than most could have imagined, but her work had turned in favor of building all sorts of new equipment, and Batman working her through the basics of understanding the advance technology they used. He'd harnessed her love of mechanics and turned her into one of the best engineers to work alongside superheroes so far. And though she didn't mind—really, she didn't, she loved helping out—it didn't stop the occasional glance at the monitor or tuning in to the police radio on the crime going about in Gotham.

"Don't... Don't worry about it too much," Speedy said finally, and Elliot glanced up, but he seemed to be avoiding her gaze behind that mask as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You're good at what you do, so you should stay out of these kinds of things."

"You don't think I could take on bad guys, do you?"

"Not a chance."

"Well, I'll have you know—"

"—_Green Arrow, 16._" Their eyes turned back to where the heroes stood before the scan, the doors sliding open as they stepped forward. Speedy suddenly tensed beside her and she felt alarm bells begin to ring in her head when he stepped forward as well, realizing they were being left out.

"That's _it_?" The older heroes turned, waiting as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You promised us a _real _look inside, not a glorified back-stage pass."

"It's the first step," Aquaman explained. "You've been granted access few others get."

"Oh, really." Speedy gestured to the open panel windows along the roof lining, citizens and press snapping photos of the events occurring down below. Elliot winced. "Who cares which side of the glass we're on?"

"Roy, you just need to be patient," Green Arrow stepped forward, looking imploringly at the ginger.

Speedy scowled. "What I _need _is respect." He turned, facing the other teens before him. "They're treating us like kids—worse, _sidekicks. _We deserve better than this."

A unified silence greeted Speedy's outburst, and Elliot shifted, rubbing the back of her neck nervously before her hands moved to fiddle with her tool belt, silently wishing she had the place to say more. Speedy looked incredulous. "You're kidding. You're going along with their little game? Why? Today was supposed to be _the _day. Step one of becoming full-fledged members of the League."

"Well, sure," Kid glanced over to Robin and Elliot and back again. "But I thought step one was a tour of the HQ."

"Except the Hall isn't the League's real HQ," the mentors behind the archer looked surprised, and Elliot perked up at this, Robin shifting beside her in his seat. "I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists, and a pit stop for catching zeta tubes to the real thing—an orbiting satellite, called the Watchtower."

"You're not helping your cause here son, stand down." Aquaman stepped forward, and Elliot winced once more as Speedy cocked his head back, eyes narrowing. "Or—"

"Or _what_? You'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son." His eyes darted to Green Arrow. "I'm not even his. I thought I was his partner."

Speedy reached upwards and grasped his cap, tossing it to the floor. "But not anymore." Elliot's heart dropped, her mind racing, gears turning as she tried to understand how this was all going so wrong so fast as Speedy—Roy turned, eyes narrowed as he stalked past them.

"Sp... Roy, hold on a second!" Elliot skidded to a halt before the ginger, his towering frame bearing down on her as she gazed up, eyes wide. "I know it's not right, but take a second—"

"I'm not wasting a second of my time with these _parents_," Roy spat, his gaze met hers through his mask; his expression flickered for the briefest moment as Elliot stood before him. Golden eyes shone, and his mind raced through an array of memories before he turned his head, moving past her. "What would you know anyway?"

_Ouch. _Elliot withheld the wince she wanted to make at the statement, but Robin and Kid Flash were on their feet. Kid stepped forward, brows furrowed. "Hey, dude, not cool—"

"I guess they were right about you three." Roy added bitterly, not casting the group behind him a second glance as he left the room, echoing footsteps like a hammer to her heart as Elliot watched, unable to do anything as her friend—one of her closest friends, left the room. "You aren't ready."

The doors slid to a quiet shut, the tension in the room snapping like an elastic band as the heroes plus one engineer stood, unmoving, frozen for a moment. Robin's hand suddenly came onto her shoulder, and before she could state that she was fine, a loud blaring filled the room, the screen flashing green before Superman's face appeared.

"Superman to the Justice League, there's been an explosion at Project Cadmus, it's on fire." The League members moved toward the monitor, Batman's eyes narrowing at the news.

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus, this may present the perfect opportunity too—" A loud siren filled the room once more and Zatara's face filled the bottom corner of the screen.

"Zatara to Justice League, the sorcerer Wotan is using the Amulet of Attan to blot out the sun. Requesting full League response."

Batman turned. "Superman."

Robin moved forward and the rest followed, Elliot taking in the information quietly as she mulled over what had happened only seconds before. _He really just left... Didn't he?_

_You know where to find him. _Elliot paused at this, biting her bottom lip. _I just don't know if he wants to be found._

"It's a small fire," the Kryptonian answered calmly. "Local authorities have it under control."

"Then Cadmus can wait. All Leaguers rendezvous with Zatara's coordinates, Batman out." The heroes dispersed and Batman turned, facing the teens gazing expectantly at him. "You four are to stay put."

"Why?" Robin questioned, looking offended by the vary notion as Aquaman stepped forward.

"This is a League mission."

"You're not trained—"

"Since when?" Kid interrupted, disbelief and indignation coloring his jovial features. Flash's face hardened slightly.

"I meant you're not trained to work as part of this team," he gestured to the three mentors still in the room.

"There will be other missions, when you're ready." Aquaman added, and Elliot's eyes narrowed slightly at this.

"But for now," Batman's clear, no nonsense voice cut through the rebellious thoughts running through her head, the expression on her face softening to a neutral expression as his hardened. "Stay _put_."

Without another word and a final glance from Red Tornado, the League members exited the room, the door coming to a sliding shut behind them. A brief moment of silence followed, heavy and weighing in the air until Kid scoffed. "When we're ready? How are we ever going to be ready when they treat us like—like, like sidekicks!"

Elliot shoved her hand into her tool belt, wrenching out a half finished project of hers as her hands trembled slightly, calming at the cool feel of metal as she began to fumble around with it. Aqualad gazed downwards, his brows furrowing. "My mentor... My king... I thought he trusted me."

"Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics!" Kid began to rant, throwing his arms into the air. "They've got a secret HQ in _space_."

"Maybe they just wanted you guys to wait," Elliot offered, but once the words left her lips she realized how foolish they sounded and she tackled the small contraption in her hands with new found vigor.

"For what—when we're old and ready to go up on a plaque?" Kid shook his head, eyes narrowing as he began to pace about.

"What else are they not telling us?" Aqualad wondered, and Robin shook his head.

"I've got a better question," he glanced up, brows furrowed slightly. "Why didn't we leave with Speedy?"

A heavy silence hung in the air, Elliot's fingers pausing momentarily on the metal work in her hands. Her mind moved slowly, thoughts struggling over one another as they fought to be heard. _Is this really it?_

"What is..." Eyes turned to Aqualad, a curious look in his sea glass eyes. "Project Cadmus?"

"Don't know," Elliot's eyes shot toward Robin as a smirk pulled upwards on his lips, a devious light coming to his face. "But I can find out."

The final piece to the contraption in her hands clicked and slid into place as Elliot stepped forward, standing beside Kid and Robin as his fingers began to fly over the keys, his eyes trained on the monitor as codes and symbols began to appear.

"_Access denied._"

"Wanna bet?" Robin's lips quirked upwards and he tapped the keys with a newfound vigor, the codes and firewalls of the system scattering across the screen as numbers flew this way and that. Elliot watched the process, her mouth threatening to quirk upwards at Robin's talent as Kid blinked, in awe.

"How are you doing that?"

"Same system as the Bat Cave." Elliot pocketed the thing she'd been working on and shifted closer to Robin, scanning his work before punching in a few keys herself. The boy wonder smirked and pressed the final key.

"_Access granted._"

The codes and walls dispersed, pulling up several files and images of a building, a research facility by the looks of it, before them. Robin turned his head upwards, skimming the words. "Alright, Project Cadmus... A genetics lab here in D.C... That's all there is."

"But if Bats wanted to check it out," Elliot started.

"Then there's something else going on." Robin finished, smirking at this new revelation as he leaned back. "Maybe we should investigate."

"Solve their case before they do," Aqualad looked thoughtful. "It would be poetic justice."

"Hey," Robin shrugged, slinging an arm over Elliot's shoulder. "They're all about justice."

"But they said stay put," Aqualad sighed, and though she would've been scolded for it, Elliot couldn't help but roll her eyes, a small grin turning upwards on her lips.

"For the blotting out the sun mission, not this," Robin corrected, and Elliot played with the clasps of her tool belt.

"So you guys technically wouldn't be going against orders."

"Wait, are you going to Cadmus?" Wally placed a hand on Elliot and Robin's shoulders, his eyes shining with excitement. "Because if you're going, I'm going."

The two turned, flashing bright grins Aqualad's way, and the young teen looked thoughtful for a moment. "Just like that? We're a team on a mission?"

"We didn't come for a play date." Robin smirked, and Aqualad's eyes shone, his lips curling upwards as well.

"Then we should take the east city route," Elliot piped up suddenly, and three pairs of eyes watched her silently for a moment as she reached into her belt, pulling out a small flat rectangle and punching a button, the entire thing unfolding to reveal her skate board. "It'll be fastest."

"Uh, El..." She glanced upwards as Robin shifted, blinking once at her friend, practically brother, as he rubbed the back of his neck before continuing. "...we?"

"I'm coming too." Elliot tapped her boots together, a blue glow coming to life at the soles as she stepped onto the board, the entire thing thrumming to life. "You don't think I'm just going to sit here while you all run off, do you?"

"No," Kid agreed, but she caught the momentary look of doubt on his face. "But it's just that... I know you're pretty skilled and all too, I mean, you were trained by _Batman_, but it's just that... Well..."

"We've been on more missions than you have," Robin finished, meeting his friend's gaze evenly, knowing full well there was no reason to beat around the bush here. "Batman's only taken you out on a few, and you know how he feels about you going out."

"It seems a little risky," Kid added hastily, looking uncomfortable before he added. "No offense."

Elliot looked thoughtful before her lips turned upwards, and Robin arched a brow while Kid blinked. "If you've been on more missions, then I better start getting some experience under my belt."

Robin's lips quirked upwards and he pressed a button on his shoes, a similar blue light appearing as he stepped onto the skate board alongside Elliot. "Besides, you're supposed to be superheroes, right?"

Her gaze met Kid's evenly, a surprised look on his face, a somewhat dazed look flickering through emerald eyes as she flashed him a crooked grin.

"So I trust you'll be able to protect me if something happens."

"Of course!" Kid proudly jutted a finger to himself. "As if I'd let anything happen to you—"

"Then without further ado," her tapped her board and the rockets appeared, lifting her and Robin upwards as she grinned, a feeling of adrenaline and excitement thrumming through her veins.

"Let's go."

* * *

><p>"I'm picking up crazy readings," Elliot spoke up, and Robin inclined his head slightly as he continued to pound against the keyboard, hacking into Cadmus' systems with ease. Kid moved to stand beside Elliot as she held her palms to the floor, thick black finger gloves covering her hands as she felt along the ground. "The iron deposits in this place are nuts."<p>

"Meaning?" Kid inquired, peering over her shoulder as she reached into her tool belt, pulling out a black scrunching and making sure her pony tail was secure as she adjusted her own mask.

"There's a lot more to this building than what's given," Robin quipped. "Based on the blueprints of this place, it should be made of steel for the support beams, not iron."

"Can you...sense the presence of metals then, Mecha?" Aqualad questioned, and Elliot blinked, looking up in surprise as Kid Flash let out a quick laugh, Robin snorting.

"No, not really—"

"Our dear Mecha here is all natural like Bird Boy," Kid answered, slinging an arm over Elliot's shoulders as she rolled her eyes. "No powers, but she does have a habit of playing with tools—"

"The gloves have magnetic readings on them," she explained, and Aqualad looked faintly impressed, a small bit of pride flickering through her. "I built them to sense metal substances of all kinds; they tend to help when I'm looking for things back home."

"You made them yourself?"

"Mecha's our own engineer," Kid said proudly, and Elliot rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly with Kid's arm still slung around her shoulder. "She builds all kinds of gadgets and gizmos—"

"And she knits." Robin offered.

"Total wifey material." Kid finished, pinching Elliot's cheek.

"_Very _funny," Elliot ducked from Kid's arm and rubbed her swollen cheek—what was with everyone today?—and she gazed around the office building before them, surveying their surroundings amidst the dark and looming walls of Cadmus' inner rooms. "Remind me to make you all sweaters for Christmas this year."

"I'd wear anything you make me," Kid offered eagerly, and Elliot rolled her eyes, unable to hide the small smile turning up on her lips as she felt along the walls, her gloves humming in response to the metal deposits around her.

The fire and scientists who'd been in danger earlier were safe for now. But as the firemen struggled to put out the remaining flames, the team trekked further into the research building, dwelling deeper inside as they continued their investigation.

There was a gentle _ping _and Elliot perked up, Robin glancing up from his hacking as Aqualad stepped down a hallway. "There was something in the..."

"Elevators should be shut down," Kid said, looking confused for a moment as Robin frowned, brushing past them and running forward.

"Wait a minute, this is wrong." He tapped his forearm and the holographic computer appeared, his eyes on the elevator before he glanced down. "Thought so. This is a high speed express elevator. It doesn't belong in a two-story building."

"Neither does what I saw." Aqualad added and Elliot frowned, stepping forward and running her fingers along the sleek metal doors.

"Picking up mad readings from further down," she clarified, and Aqualad stepped forward as she stepped back, prying apart the metal doors.

The four of them peeked over the edge and Elliot's eyes widened, heart beginning to pound loudly in her chest as adrenaline began to pick in at the sight of the long drop. Robin took a step back, shooting a hook to the roof of the elevator. "And _that's _why they need an express elevator."

Robin leapt over the edge and plummeted downwards into the darkness, the rope winding down behind him. Elliot leapt, grasping onto the tough material as she slid downwards, Kid and Aqualad following suit. It seemed as if the fall would go on for hours, her heart racing despite the fact that she knew Robin and Kid, even Aqualad would have her back.

It'd been awhile.

The rope beneath her fingers came to a halt and she slowed to a stop, Robin leaping across and pressing himself against the wall of the shaft, extending a hand towards her. She took it without a moment's hesitation and landed safely beside him, Robin sliding downwards as Kid and Aqualad appeared, and he began to type away into his computer.

"Bypassing security and... go." Aqualad pried the doors apart, and the three stepped into the deserted hall, a low, eerie red glow illuminating the walkway.

"Welcome to Project Cadmus." Robin murmured, and Elliot glanced up before her eyes widened in surprise, disbelief filling her.

Long rows of what appeared to be pods lined either wall, the echoing hallway stretching downwards for what seemed like miles. Her mind raced and she realized there was something much, _much _bigger going on than simple genetics here. The pull of the magnet in her gloves grew stronger and she stepped alongside Robin, their eyes searching the long corridor until Kid grinned beside her, slipping his goggles on as he ran forward. "Kid wait—"

The ground beneath them shook and Elliot's eyes went wide as in seconds, Kid was skidding across the floor as long, thick legs came down. Kid darted to the side and Elliot skidded to a halt beside the three as the ground shook, the heavy footfalls of massive beasts coming down as they traveled down the hall. Her eyes were wide with disbelief at the mammoth-like creatures fell in line, proceeding downwards as if it were a circus line of elephants.

"No, nothing odd going on here," Aqualad muttered aloud, and Robin frowned as Elliot stepped forward.

"And they're not just having a circus," she felt along the walls for a moment before turning down the opposite way. "Rob, this is _much _bigger than we thought." _Literally._

Then again, what had she been expecting? A crazy fire? An accident turning out to be a murder? Some kind of drug cult trying to take down another rival? No, strange as it sounded in her mind, those were all crimes she could imagine handling, not experience some massive genetic experiment going on underground and beneath the League's knowledge. Her fingers twitched, tempted to fumble around with something until she withheld the urge herself, pushing it aside. "Should we..."

"We need to get at least an idea of what's going on," Robin answered the question on her lips and she nodded. "Let's keep going."

A bright blue light began to flicker towards the end of the hall as they continued downwards, Elliot's hands sliding into her belt as she slipped a small pocketknife into her boot. The hallway opened up and the four froze, eyes widening at the long hall that stretched out before them, glass cases vibrating with jolts of electricity from the creatures contained within.

"This place is set up like a generator," Elliot's eyes followed the tubes and containers, a shudder running down her spine at the still creatures inside the tubes. "With these kinds of mechanics..."

"This is how they hide this massive underground facility from the world, the real Cadmus isn't even on the grid!" Kid exclaimed, and Elliot shifted, moving further down the hall to a central power box at the end. "It generates its own power with these... things. It must be what they're bred for."

"Even the name's a clue... The Cadmus from myths would raise new races by sowing dragon's teeth into the earth." Aqualad murmured.

"And this Cadmus creates new life too," Robin stepped over to the computer centered in the hall, reaching a cable from his gloves over and plugging it into the computer. "Let's find out why."

Elliot kept her ears open to new information as she sat down beside one of the main grid boxes, sliding her fingers into her belt and pulling out a flat screw. The tool glinted in the light as she spun it around her fingers before setting to work, dismantling the entire generator as she reached and pulled out wire cutters as well.

"They call them... Genomorphs." Robin started, looking surprised as he tapped the hologram. "Whoa, check out the stats on these things. Razor claws, telepathy—they're living weapons!"

"Genetics, huh?" Elliot muttered, smirking to herself when she pulled a few wires loose and unbolted a final screw. The grid panel fell to the floor and she whistled at the vast array of cables and flickering lights, switches and grids all connecting to certain systems. "Now which one of you hooks up to the doors..."

She came to a halt beside a small box and unscrewed the lid, slipping her fingers quickly through and rearranging the cables with ease. She pulled out a small chip from her bag and set it inside, replacing it with the one already there. She hummed in triumph until Robin's voice broke through her own little hacking. "Mecha, you should check this out."

Within seconds she was on her feet and beside the three as Robin skimmed down, his eyes narrowing. "Project K...r. Ah, the files too encrypted. I can't—"

"Don't move!" Elliot tensed and the other three turned, bearing weapons and arms as a figure ran into the room. Clawed, long tailed creatures, genomorphs, followed beside him as the masked man stood, eyes narrowing before growing wide. "Robin... Aqualad... Kid Flash? And..."

"At least they got your name right," Robin smirked, resuming his hacking as Elliot rubbed the back of her neck. "But it seems like Mecha here is still a bit unknown."

"Mecha's not supposed to really _be _public," Elliot muttered, remembering Batman's ideals on her participation with the League. "But a little bit couldn't hurt, right?"

"I know you." Aqualad stepped forward, his brows furrowing. "You're Guardian. You're a hero."

"I do my best." Guardian replied, but Kid's eyes narrowed.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I'm the head of security, you're trespassing." The genomorphs at his side snarled, long tails swaying back and forth, and Elliot's hands slid into her belt. "We should call the Justice League, figure things out."

"You think the League is going to approve of you breeding weapons?" Kid questioned incredulously, and Guardian frowned, looking confused.

"What are you..." The small genomorph on his shoulder glowed, and Guardian clutched his head. "My head..." Blue eyes shot opened and narrowed, and Elliot pulled out a flat rectangle, her board unfolding as she dropped it to the floor. "Get them! Take them down hard!"

The genomorphs lunged, fangs and claws bare as Robin ran forward and slammed a smoke screen to the ground, a cloud of smoke quickly rising upwards and shrouding the group. Smoke came around her as she heard the sound of a grappling hook being shot into place, a large body suddenly lunged over her and she ducked, leaping onto her board and pushing off as she swerved around one of the creatures, reaching into her built and tossing several sleek steel balls.

The balls collided with the genomorphs, expanding and sending waves of electricity through. Elliot narrowed her eyes and ducked as Kid soared over her head, slamming into another genomorph as she pushed off from the ground, gaining speed until she picked up her board and brought her feet upwards, slamming hard into another one.

A hook shot out through the smoke and snapped around her arm. Elliot's eyes widened and she hopped onto her board, the rope retracting and pulling her fast through the smoke and chaos and down a hall until she brought it to a stop, Robin's fingers typing away at his screen. "Where'd you go?"

"Stay beside me," Robin answered instead, and Elliot frowned. "Batman would have my head if I let something happen to you."

"I can handle myself you know," though she knew he meant well, a flicker of irritation surged through her as she reached into her belt and began slapping sticky wads of white metal plates along the wall. "I took out a few—"

"Thanks for being a team player!" Kid zoomed past her, skidding to a halt beside Robin as he continued to hack into the system.

"I thought you were right behind me."

Elliot stepped onto her board as Aqualad came into view, she reached a hand out and he grasped it as she pulled him onto her board, the edges expanding to accommodate the weight as they rode down the hall, picking up speed as Elliot pressed a few buttons along her pouch. The genomorphs following after them let out furious cries as they slipped into the elevator, and Elliot punched in a final button, the white wads exploding along the hall just as the doors slid shut.

"We're going down?" Aqualad questioned, and Elliot's eyes rose up to the growing numbers signaling their descent.

"Dude, out is _up_." Kid clarified, and Robin's eyes narrowed.

"Excuse me? Project Kr is _down_, sublevel fifty-two, we have to figure out what it is."

"This is getting far more serious than we expected," Aqualad was silent for a moment before he looked up, and Elliot had a feeling she knew his next words. "Perhaps we should contact the League."

A moment of silence fell over them, and Elliot's mind raced to think of something to say as she shifted. "You guys have made it this far," she glanced up, meeting their gazes evenly with a small smile. "I think you can handle whatever comes next."

Robin smirked and Kid Flash grinned, stepping forward to say something when the elevator chimed, and the bright number fifty-two gazed back at them as the doors slid open. Robin quickly moved to cover outside, and Elliot moved to follow his lead when her gloves came to life and she paused, looking around.

Her eyes widened at the strange, cave like entrance before them. All signs of hard steel hallways hidden beneath red mounds, stretching over the walls and covering different machines. Aqualad touched her shoulder and she moved from her frozen stupor to cover beside the rest of them. "Which way?"

"I dunno, creepy hallway number one," Robin gestured to one hall with his Batarang. "Or creepy hallway number two."

"Halt!" Their eyes shot upwards before a decision could be made, and a tall, clothed genomorph gazed back at them, raising his hand as horns glowed red at the top of his head, and barrels rose upwards.

_Telepathy. _Elliot quickly ducked to the side as the barrels went flying, and Robin threw out a batarang, only to have it fall harmlessly to the floor minutes before hitting the genomorph. Another set of containers were raised and Elliot ran along the wall and brought her gloves upwards, the magnetic pulling straining as several beams rose from the ground. With a mighty heave they went flying, sailing after the geno as Kid ran along ahead, securing the door so that they had an opening. "Hurry!"

Robin leapt through the door, Elliot following after as Aqualad slid in and kicked the door shut behind them. Robin was at the manual, punching in keys until the door clicked. "I've overridden the system. We're safe for now."

Elliot's gloves hummed and she frowned, raising them upwards and turning around slowly to find the source. _It feels like..._

"Uh, guys," Kid's voice snapped her attention back towards them as she stepped forward, coming to a halt beside a main computer grid before a darkened tube. "You should take a look at this."

His finger pressed down on a button and a dull light began to grow brighter until the pod before them was fully illuminated. Robin went stiff, Kid Flash's mouth falling open at the sight as Elliot froze, her eyes wide with disbelief at the sight before them.

It was Superman.

_Well_... Elliot blinked, taking in the tough, heavy build, and ebony black locks framing an angular face, all accompanied by a bright S in the center of a diamond imprinted on his uniform. _A much younger, our age Superman._

"Big K little r, the atomic symbol for Krypton." Kid turned, realization dawning on him. "Clone?"

"Robin, hack." Aqualad demanded and Robin blinked, shaking away the disbelief as he pulled out a plug and inserted it into the computer.

"Right, on it." The familiar faces of Robin appeared on the screen as he bypassed the firewalls and entered the grid. Kid Flash coming to stand beside them as Elliot stepped forward, eyes wide as she took in the possible clone—the _living _person behind the glass. "Weapon designation Superboy. A clone force grown in..._sixteen weeks_? From DNA acquired from Superman..."

"Stolen from Superman," Aqualad clarified.

"There's no way the big guy knows anything about this," Kid murmured.

"Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation twenty-four seven," Robin explained.

"And these little guys?" Elliot inquired, running her finger along the cool glass as she walked around it, wondering if it was possible to dismantle something this advance, and what kind of tech it took to build it.

"Genomorph gnomes, telepathic, force-feeding him an education."

"And we can guess what else," Kid muttered.

"They're making a slave out of him." Elliot murmured, her eyes rising to gaze at the silent, unconscious face before them. "And he won't have any idea about it."

"_Now _we contact the League," Aqualad ordered, tapping the symbol on his built as it glowed. There was a brief pause and Robin tsked, shaking his head.

"No signal."

"The iron deposits are too heavy," Elliot mimicked Robin and tapped the side of her glove, a small holographic computer screen appearing—as if Batman would leave her unsupplied—in response to the magnetic waves her gloves picked up. "WE won't be able to get through unless we go back up."

"We're in too deep." Kid frowned, looking up. "Literally."

"We can't..." The three paused to look at the teen as Elliot fumbled for the right words before looking up, golden irises hardening behind the black fabric of her mask. "We can't leave him here like this."

"This is wrong," Kid agreed, and Aqualad looked thoughtful, his gaze flickering until he glanced back up.

"Set him free, do it."

Robin quickly obliged, tapping away at keys until he slid his fingers downwards. The glass pod seemed to exhale, smoke falling off as the glass doors slowly began to descend downwards, opening up the figure of Superboy to the world. A gentle glow began to emit from the gnomes and Elliot paused, glancing from them back to Superboy, his eyes shut.

His hand seemed to flex, fingers curling outwards before curling back in, a sudden chill running down her spine when clear blue eyes flickered open. Within seconds Superboy lunged, tackling Aqualad to the ground and slamming his fists into him. Elliot cursed, running forward and winding her arms around the taut torso as Kid and Robin grabbed his arms. "Hold on! We're trying to help you!"

His arm broke free and Kid went flying, Elliot's eyes widened and Robin grunted, pulling out a small bomb. "I don't want to do this!"

He slammed the bomb just below his mouth and Superboy backed away, hacking and coughing as smoke shrouded his face. Aqualad surged forward, delivering a swift kick to his chest and knocking him aside. Elliot clutched onto a slim metal pole, the weapon quickly extending into a staff as she swung it around. "We're trying to help you!"

Blue eyes narrowed, enraged, and she ducked as he nearly flew at her, fists swinging wildly. Her heart pounded in her chest and she swung back, the staff colliding sharply with the back of his head as Robin ducked out of the way, sending tasers his way. Superboy let out a roar of pain as electricity shot through him, but his hand came up and clenched the cables, jerking Robin forward until his back slammed unto the floor. Elliot whirled around. "Robin!"

A hard foot came down on the young boy's chest and Robin grunted, clutching onto the foot in an attempt to relieve the pressure. Superboy pressed down harder and Elliot charged, using the staff as a lever as she barreled into him. She barely managed to knock him aside, but surprise had been on her side and he stumbled, Robin slipping out and coughing. A firm hand enclosed around her makeshift uniform, Superboy raising her up so that her feet dangled, and Elliot gasped, struggling as his fingers began to wind around her throat.

"We're trying... to help," she gasped out, legs flailing to find some kind of leverage, at least to kick him aside, but Superboy's eyes narrowed. "Can't you..._see _that?"

For the briefest moment something seemed to flicker through those clear blue eyes, and Elliot struggled, gasping for air now as his grip loosened a fraction. But his features hardened and she ground her teeth as his grip tightened as well. "Please—"

"Hands off!" Robin snapped, flying through the air as his feet came into contact with Superboy's head. The clone staggered backwards and Elliot toppled to the floor, sucking in large gasps of air. But Superboy's hand enclosed around Robin's foot and he swung, sending him flying. Elliot's eyes widened, fear coursing through her as he slammed into the wall and she struggled to stand, fumbling with her pouch as Aqualad shot above her, swinging a hardened hammer of water.

"Enough!" Superboy was sent flying and Aqualad glared hard at him. "We are _trying _to help you."

_The gnomes... _The haze in her mind struggled to clear from oxygen deprivation as she finally gripped a batarang of her own, sliding it through her fingers as Superboy and Aqualad fought before her. Aqualad let out a groan of pain and he fell to the floor as Superboy crashed down beside him, Elliot flung the batarang, the ends impaling the firm back before her until Superboy turned around, stalking forward. _Shit._

Heavy footsteps came to a halt before her and she struggled to lift herself up, trying to move back until she collided with the wall behind her. Superboy glared down and she clenched her fingers around a small metal pick, flicking it outwards and watching as it attached itself to his leg. Her eyes flickered back up and Superboy pulled his fist back, eyes cold like ice.

Pain erupted in her temple and she toppled to the side, eyes flickering shut as darkness suddenly fell over her like a cape.

_This was not how today was supposed to go._

* * *

><p>"<em>Today is an important day for you as well."<em>

How?

"_Be ready."_

For what?

"_I believe in you."_

Dull, there was a resounding pain in the back of her head, throbbing and aching as the world around her remained still. Something felt cold beneath her, icy, and she shuddered.

"_You must awaken." _Who was that? Couldn't she sleep for just a few minutes more—it wouldn't hurt, would it? _"You must awaken." _Just a little bit more...

"_You must awaken _now_."_

Golden eyes, sharp and gleaming amber snapped open only to shut at the blinding white light that exploded in her head. Elliot groaned, turning her face away from the source, but her face only met with colder metal, her entire body aching as she curled her fingers, trying to move.

She couldn't.

_Inhale. _Her eyes slid open, slower this time, and she turned her head only to find her forearms in solid shackles, her hands left movable but useless as she flexed her fingers, unable to do anything else. She moved to sit up, and she grimaced to find that she was chained to a sleek wall amidst the red veins traveling around the room. She bit her lower lip, shifting her legs so they were in front of her, her arms raised above her head leaving her unable to reach into her pouch.

Well damn.

She withheld a groan, resisting the urge to smack the back of her head against the wall in frustration. How the hell was she supposed to finally prove to him—to finally show Batman that she could, maybe with a little more work, she could fight too. But no, instead she had her ass handed to her by a _clone_, and now she was locked up awaiting her doom.

_Cliché. _Her eyes flickered upwards and Elliot couldn't help the small screech of surprise that left her lips at the sudden proximity of the same clone that'd knocked her out and very thoroughly handed her ass to her. Superboy blinked, silent and impassive save for the faint flicker of surprise that shot through at her sudden noise.

There was a flat, taut moment of silence between them until Elliot cleared her throat. "I don't suppose you're here to make amends and help me out, are you?"

Icy blue eyes simply gazed back at her.

"No, I thought so." _I'm not feeling whelmed one bit. _Her eyes landed on the metal pick she's left on his leg and golden eyes glimmered before she calmed herself, making sure her gloves were still on—blessed be, they were—and she opened her mouth again. "You know, if you're not going to help, you could at least turn away then. It kind of sucks to see freedom so close but not be able to do anything about it."

His face flickered and Elliot opened her palms, feeling the gentle magnetic tug as the pick on his leg trembled. Her eyes met his, even, and she blinked. "But you don't know what freedom feels like, do you?"

"Leave her alone!" Elliot stiffened, turning her head in surprise as the metal pick flew in the moment Superboy's head turned as well, landing softly in her palm as she enclosed it around her fist. Her eyes landed on her three friends and she paused, Robin, Kid, and Aqualad strapped to pods as Kid glared down at Superboy. "And back off!"

Superboy was silent, icy eyes...icy as he gazed back at Kid Flash. Robin's gaze met hers through his mask, his face silent as she inclined her head, silently saying she was alright as he nodded. Kid frowned, eyes narrowing. "Stop staring—what do you even want?"

"Uh, KF, I don't think you should be angering the guy who could fry us with his a look," Robin advised.

"I'm fine," Elliot spoke up, offering Kid a small grin. "How're you guys?"

"I always wondered what it would feel like to be captured like a bad guy," Robin commented, managing a half shrug in his position. "Never wanted to find out though."

"We free you, and you turn on us—how's that for gratitude?" Kid spat, emerald eyes burning.

"Kid, please," Aqualad looked sharply at the speedster. "Be quiet now. I believe our friend was not in full control of his actions." Elliot's eyes landed on Robin for the briefest moment as his hands fumbled with the locks. Her lips twitched upwards and she gently turned the pick in her fingers, sliding it into the cuffs and moving it around.

"What if I wasn't?" The sudden deep voice made Elliot look up in surprise as Superboy paused.

"He can talk?" Kid exclaimed, and Superboy's fist clenched, looking up.

"Yes. _He _can."

Robin and Aqualad flashed Kid and look and he frowned. "Not like I called him an it."

"The genomorphs taught you, telepathically," Aqualad concluded.

"They taught me much." Superboy started, looking briefly uncertain before he continued. "I can read, write, I know the names of things."

"But have you ever actually seen them?" Elliot blinked when her lock clicked into place, and she felt it loosen, but she held it together, biding her time as Robin continued. "Have they ever actually let you see the sky? Or the sun?"

"Images are implanted into my mind but," Superboy seemed to grow slightly troubled. "No."

Elliot paused at this news, suspicions and feelings toward this clone—no, this person confirmed. He was no better than a child—a kid who'd never been let outside to see the world for himself, believing only what he was told, knowing only what they knew. Kind of like how she was before she met Robin, she realized.

"Do you even know who you are?" Aqualad inquired, and Superboy looked up at that.

"I am the Superboy. A genomorph. A clone made from the DNA of the Superman. Created to replace him should he perish, to destroy him should he turn from the light."

"Heavy," Elliot commented finally, but her cat-gold irises turned upwards, meeting crystal clear blue. "But is it...what you want?"

"To be like Superman is a worthy aspiration. But like Superman, you deserve a life of your own." Aqualad's gaze focused onto Superboy's. "Beyond that source, beyond that pod, beyond... Cadmus."

"Cadmus _is _my home. I live because of Cadmus." Superboy snapped, and Elliot looked thoughtful, shifting so her pouch was visible.

"Your home is a test tube," Robin answered back, but his voice took on a different tone. "We can show you the sun."

"Uh, I'm pretty sure it's after midnight." Wally shrugged. "But we can show you the moon."

"Left front pouch," Superboy turned to her and Elliot offered him a small smile, his gaze narrowed. "No tricks, just reach in."

Slowly, wary, Superboy did as she instructed, leaning past her and reaching into the pouch. His fingers enclosed around the photos she knew would be there and he pulled them out, pausing at the photos of sunsets, sunrises, the moon, full and bright. His face softened, entranced as he shuffled through the photos. "We can show life outside these pods, outside these walls." Elliot murmured.

He came to a halt on one photo, staring at the image of Superman, proud and regal against the city line as he stood atop a building. Aqualad gazed at him. "We can show you Superman, introduce you, to Superman."

Superboy's face softened, and Elliot shifted, meeting his crystal clear blues with warm amber. "We can show you the world, Superboy."

"No, actually, you can't." Elliot's eyes hardened and Superboy shoved the photos into his pocket, standing up as two scientists, and Guardian stood before them. "You'll be a bit preoccupied in a moment. Begin the cloning process."

_Cloning? _Elliot's eyes widened and she tugged at her bonds, the locks loose enough so that when she wanted to, and she'd be able to burst free.

"Pass, Bat Cave's crowded enough," Robin said flatly, and Elliot's mind began to race as the male scientist approached her, eyes narrowed as he turned back to Guardian.

"And get the weapon back in its pod!"

"Hey, how come he gets to call Supe and it?"

Guardian stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder a Superboy paused. Aqualad gazed back at him. "Help us."

Superboy shrugged the hand off, a moment of hope fluttered in her chest until the scientist turned around with a scowl. "Don't start thinking _now_." A gnome leapt off his shoulder and onto Superboy's, the small horns glowing as the clone froze. "You see, you're not a real boy, you're a weapon. And you belong to _me_, well, Cadmus—same thing. Now get back to your pod!"

Elliot frowned, watching Superboy's retreating back when she was suddenly hoisted to her feet, her eyes widening as the scientist stared flatly at her. "And get rid of this one—she won't be needed."

"What, not good enough to clone?" Elliot mused, and the scientist narrowed his eyes, leaning forward with a smirk.

"What use would we have with some unknown hero? Perhaps not good enough to clone, but good enough for other purposes." Elliot's eyes narrowed; gold hard as steel as the scientist grasped her chin, forcing her to look upwards as she scowled. "And I can think of _many _for someone like you."

"Paws off creep!" Kid snapped, struggling against his bonds as he clenched his fist. "Leave her alone!"

"Oh, I don't mean for myself," the scientist shoved her aside and Elliot pulled her lips back, practically snarling as he smirked. "I know many labs looking for eager donors to the better advancement of science."

_Sick, twisted, messed up, weak, jerk face. _Elliot spat, momentarily triumphant when it collided with the scientist's cheek, a look of horror and disgust clouding his features and Kid let out a hoot, Robin snickering.

But the sudden pain that collided with her cheek was strong enough to snap her head to the side, and Elliot winced at the stinging sensation that followed. The scientist scowled at her, Robin's fingers clenching as Kid struggled against his bonds. "Or perhaps it'd be easier to simply dispose of the evidence."

He turned, nodding to the woman at the computer who nodded as well, punching in keys until metal arms extended within the pods, opening up and injecting themselves into the three heroes. Elliot's eyes went wide and she surged forward, chains clanking together as their cries of pain filled the room. A figure stepped out from the shadows, and Elliot's eyes narrowed at the familiar genomorph from before, long horns curling upwards as the scientist turned. "Have the gnomes download the memories, and when they're finished, dispose of the originals."

Her fists clenched, waiting as her friends cries pounded against her ears, struggling against their bonds as she looked for some sort of an opening.

_Maybe it's better if you stick to the sidelines, you know?_

Her eyes landed on the computer, unattended as the three watched the cloning process undergo.

_It just seems...better that way._

"_I just want to help however I can."_

With a surge forward the locks and shackles around her fell to the ground, giving her a few seconds before the sound and movement would give her away. Guardian began to turn but Elliot was already at the computer, reaching into her pouch and unscrewing the top lid of the panel. Shouts and orders reached her ears as a array of cables and wires gazed back at her, lips curling upwards as she took the chip she'd taken before and stuck it inside.

"Stop her!"

The cloning process skidded to a halt, alarms suddenly ringing out along the building before an explosion rocketed behind her, blowing her hair this way and that. Elliot turned and her eyes widened, a grin splitting her lips as Superboy stalked past her, eyes narrowed ahead. "I told you to get back to your—"

With a shove the scientist and Guardian were sent flying, slamming hard into the walls as Superboy came to a halt before them. "_Don't _give me orders."

Elliot moved to step forward, but paused, gazing at the taut, muscular back before her as Superboy remained still. Kid frowned. "Are you here to help us or fry us?"

Superboy continued to stare for a moment before his lips turned upwards. "It looks like I don't have heat vision, so helping seems to be my only option."

There was a _click _and Robin slipped from his confinements, landing on the floor with ease as he groaned, rubbing his wrists. "Finally! Lucky Batman isn't here; he'd have my head for taking so long."

"Seriously? _That's _what you're worried about? The whole League will have our heads after tonight!" Kid exclaimed, and Robin rolled his eyes as he made his way to Elliot as she grinned.

"Guess that means I beat your record, hmm?" Robin scoffed, pressing a few keys as the pods slid open and the metal arms retracted.

"Please, I was just taking my time." He turned to Superboy and added. "I'll get Kid Mouth, you get Aqualad."

"Don't you give me orders either." Superboy growled, and Elliot blinked, offering a small smile.

"Please?"

Superboy glanced to her and leapt, breaking the confinements on Aqualad with ease as Robin released Kid. The four landed on their feet and took off running, Elliot following instep as they shot past the fallen scientists, the leader raising his head. "You'll never get out of here—I'll have you all in pods by morning!"

"That guy is not whelmed, not whelmed at all." Robin commented, flicking his fingers and batarangs slammed into the pods clouded with blood, and the group turned, slipping out of the room as Kid shook his head.

"What is it with you and this whelmed thing?"

And then they were running, feet pounding against the ground as they sprinted down the seemingly endless halls. Aqualad turned and they followed. "We're still forty-two levels below ground, but if we can make it to the elevator—"

The floor shook beneath them, the large mammoth creatures from before barring the path. Elliot's eyes narrowed and they group split up, leaping and ducking under heavy feet as they rolled to the other side. Elliot turned, eyes widening as Superboy slammed his fist into another genomorph, roaring as he tossed another to the side.

"Superboy! Our goal is to _escape_!" Aqualad commanded, and Superboy turned, near snarling.

"You want escape?" He turned and lifted one of the mammoths, swinging them around until it slammed into the other two. Elliot blinked, skidding to a halt as they leapt into the elevator shaft, grasping Kid's hands as he helped her stay along the side seconds before the heavy beasts slammed into the opening.

Superboy shot upwards, Aqualad in one arm as they surged forward. But the ascent slowly came to a halt and Superboy began to fall backwards, Elliot's eyes widened and Robin flung out a batarang, Aqualad grasping onto the weapon as Superboy blinked. "Superman can fly... Why can't I fly?"

"Who knows, but it does look like you can still leap tall buildings in a single bound," Kid offered. "Still cool."

The speedster helped him to the side and Superboy blinked, looking disturbed by this sudden realization as he glanced to Aqualad. "Thank you."

An engine hit her ears and Elliot's head snapped upwards as Robin moved forward. "Guys, this will have to be our exit!"

Elliot's hands slipped into her belt and she tossed a sticky metal plate, the makeshift bomb colliding with the metal doors, but instead of exploding, a hissing sound filled the air and the metal beneath began to rust, weakening in its place and Superboy grasped the eroding metal, prying it apart with ease. They slipped into the brightly lit hall as the elevator came down before them, reminding them what might of happened had they been a second too late.

Hissing and snarls filled the air and they quickly turned down a hall, the genomorphs at their heels as they ran. Superboy's eyes widened for a moment before he opened his mouth. "Go left!"

They veered, following the turn as they shot down the new hallway. Superboy's eyes narrowed and he spoke again. "Go right!"

The hallway came to a dead end and Elliot skidded to a halt, nearly barreling into Kid Flash as he turned, narrowing his eyes. "Great job Supe, are you _trying _to get us repodded?"

"No, I... I don't understand..." Superboy started, but Elliot shook her head, grinning widely as Robin smirked.

"Don't apologize, this is perfect!"

* * *

><p>"At this rate we'll never get out," Kid muttered, looking up his eyes glimmered and he added. "Not that I mind the view though."<p>

Elliot's boot snapped back and collided with his jaw, Kid letting out a groan of pain as she rolled her eyes, shaking her head despite the laugh bubbling in her chest. "Which way now?"

"Wait, be quiet." They group paused, and Superboy glanced back, looking thoughtful. "Do you hear that?"

Despite the lack of super hearing, a low hiss and grumbling sound echoed throughout the vents. A shudder ran down her spine and Elliot crawled forward with renewed vigor, robin tapping away at his computer until he came to a stop. "This one."

Elliot attempted to reach back and winced at the strain, turning back slightly. "Kid, can reach into my belt? Back right pocket."

"With pleasure," Kid grinned, gloved hand reaching forward and around the other girl's waist as he inched forward. Elliot resisted the urge to kick back as his breath fanned over her back, his cheek pressed against her side as he reached around for her pocket—it wasn't as if she didn't trust him, she'd known Kid Flash for as long as she could remember—but being a firm believer in personal space, the urge to explode and blow up the metal vents around her was beginning to grow.

Huh, maybe she was claustrophobic.

"_Right _pocket." The gloved hand wandering down her left side halted, traveling back upwards and slipping into the correct pouch.

Or maybe she really should just kick out.

"Dude, _so _not the time right now." Robin muttered, and Kid only grinned, fingers enclosing around a flat object as he passed it up.

"We need to hurry." Aqualad added, and Elliot grasped the object, the flat disk morphing in her fingers as she clicked a button, melting into a putty shape.

"Thanks," Elliot muttered, reaching up and handing it to Robin as he smeared it across the thick bars. A hiss filled the air and the metal began to erode. She could practically feel the shit eating grin on Kid's face as they moved forward, Robin kicking out the vent as they slipped into a new hallway.

"Anytime, sweetheart."

"I hacked the motion sensors," Robin grinned, looking proud for a moment before he continued. "But there's still a lot of them between us and out."

"But now I've got room to move," Kid pulled his goggles over his head, grinning from ear to ear as he barreled through the doorway leading to the stairs, surging upwards at breakneck speed.

The group followed along behind, Robin's computer coming up as he glanced back. "More behind us!"

Superboy turned on his heel, stopping just before the genomorphs and slamming his foot into the ground. The stairway beneath them crumpled and Elliot grabbed his hand, urging him upwards as they continued to sprint.

Alarms suddenly filled the halls as they follow after Kid, red lights flashing and Elliot skidded to a halt as Kid toppled over, groaning from the head on collision with the sealed door. Aqualad frowned. "We're cut off from the street."

"Thanks, my head hadn't noticed." Kid muttered, rubbing his head gingerly as Elliot quickly went to his side, helping him up as Superboy and Aqualad tackled the door, trying to pry it apart as Robin's fingers soared across the keys.

"I can't hack this fast enough," his eyes shot upwards and Elliot eyed the door before shaking her head.

"I'd need time to come up with a machine capable of breaking that down."

"And we don't have time." Genomorphs began to fill the hallway and Robin turned, kicking down a door to the side. "This way!"

They sprinted into the corridor, only to come to a sudden halt as genomorphs filled the halls before them. Backing up a herd of them came in from the rear, and Elliot cursed as she realized they were surrounded. Her fingers pulled out the small cylinder, the ends quickly extended to a staff as the rest tensed, ready to fight their way out through this final stretch.

But a sudden fog filled her mind and Elliot frowned, her mind churning as she fell to the floor, the staff falling from her fingertips.

_Is this how it ends then? _Black dots appeared at the corners of her vision and she inhaled softly, her mind moving sluggishly. _It can't be...right? Not something this cliché._

But as soon as it came, it seemed the world around her was beginning to clear again, voices ringing in her ears as she turned her head upwards, frowning as Superboy stood, facing off against the genomorph from before, his eyes glowing as he gazed at him.

_What is... _"Mecha." Robin's hand extended downwards, and she clasped it, rising upwards as their minds seemed to fully come back, and they gazed ahead, the genomorphs parting and Guardian gazing evenly at them, whatever spell he'd been under broken. And Elliot blinked, looking to Robin for confirmation.

"What just happened?"

"No idea."

"Go, I'll take care of Desmond." Guardian ordered.

"I don't think so." The genomorphs shifted, and Elliot nearly stomped her foot in frustration. _So damn close. _And Desmond narrowed his eyes, raising a tube to his lips. "Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus."

The flickering blue liquid went down his lips and the Cadmus scientist froze, his body suddenly racked with spasms. Elliot took a wary step back and muscles began to expand, his head snapping back as he let out a groan, morphing into a roar as his skin seemed to give way, a rock hard, grayish undertone coming through as bits fell to the floor like a snake shedding its scales.

Gross.

"Stand back," Guardian stepped forward and the new monster before them grinned wickedly, fangs bearing down. Guardian shot forward, only to be knocked aside by a sickening punch, his body colliding into the wall.

Elliot winced, muttering under her breath about the help he was when Superboy shot forward, his fist slamming hard into Desmond. But the man turned beast roared, turning and slamming hard into the ground. Superboy surged upwards, intending to slam down when Desmond rose upwards with a roar, grasping onto the boy as they broke through the ceiling.

A cloud of smoke and debris fell from the collision and Robin blinked, raising his grappling hook. "Okay, that's one way to bust through the ceiling."

"You think the guy in the lab coat planned that?" Kid questioned, and Robin slipped an arm around Elliot's waist as Kid grasped his hand, and the hook pulled them up and through the hole.

"I doubt he's planning anything anymore." Aqualad followed after them and Elliot quickly expanded her staff, as Superboy suddenly flew over them, toppling into Aqualad as they skidded to the floor.

They came together and regrouped, the five of them lining up for a brief moment as Desmond rose, and Elliot blinked, suddenly realizing how picture perfect this moment seemed as they faced off against this villain before them.

Under better circumstances, she really wished she could take a picture right now.

_But. _A furious roar shook the walls around them and Elliot tapped a small button at the bottom of her staff, the ends coming to life as they began to crackle with electricity. _Looks like we'll have to do this another time._

Kid Flashed zipped forward, a yellow and red blur as he skidded past Desmond, forcing the brute to turn, and momentarily distracted, Superboy and Aqualad surged forward, delivering a swift punch to his face. A roar of pain left his lips and he staggered backwards, Kid arched his back and causing him to trip over and onto the floor. "Learned that one in kindergarten."

Robin leapt over him and flung his batarangs out, only to have them swatted to the side as he turned. But the beast was met face first with a hard staff as Elliot slammed it downwards, the end expanding in size to a hammer-shape as she brought it down, bolts crackling at the ends.

A clawed hand gripped the steel staff and she blinked, a rush of air leaving her as she was launched over his head, her body bracing for the impact when a gust of air blew past her, firm arms under her legs and curled around her back. Elliot blinked, glancing upwards as Kid smirked back down at her, skidding to a halt. "Heroes protect people, right?"

"See how long that lasts," she patted his cheek and launched herself upwards, a hook shooting from her belt and swinging her across the ceiling as tousled with the beast below. Her hands slipped into her belt and she pulled forth several spheres, clicking small buttons on the end as they began to expand, lights blinking at the top as she dropped them down below.

The explosion rocketed off the back of the former scientist and he roared, turning around as Superboy slammed his fist into him. Elliot searched through her belt, trying to find something to work with when it enclosed around an oddly shaped cube. The girl blinked, pulling it from her belt when her eyes widened in recognition from the contraption she'd been working on before.

_Of course. _She smirked, the smile vanishing from her face when Kid and Aqualad were knocked to the side, a pillar crumbling beneath them from the force of the impact. She brought the little gadget to her lips. "Please work."

She let the cube sail downwards, the small piece of metal bouncing off the scientist's solid back before it cluttered to the floor. Elliot watched, waiting hopefully until small spider-like legs expanded form the box, the entire thing slowly beginning to expand outwards as veins seemed to criss cross along the floor, covering the ground in steel threads.

_I need to start making more of those. _Desmond toppled over the near invisible strings, and Elliot leapt downwards, arching midair as Robin threw a line and she grasped onto it, sailing downwards until her boots collided with the hardened head.

"Mecha!" Her eyes snapped toward Robin, her friend raising his arm and showing her the layout of the room they were in. Realization clicked into place as she toppled to the ground, leaping over bits of debris as Robin flung a few batarangs her way, and her gloved hands caught them in the air as she slipped it into her pockets. "The last two at the end!"

"Got it!"

Kid Flash zipped past her, a punch landing on the brute's face when he skidded to a halt, blinking at the shred of skin in his hands until he held it up. "Got your nose!"

Superboy was tossed to the ground and Desmond roared, following after Kid as he zipped this way and that, leading him through the pillars, watching as they crumpled and fell under his weight. A steel thread shot out and Desmond tripped, slamming into another pillar and toppling it to the ground as Elliot tossed the batarangs Robin had given her, setting a detonation sequence as she turned.

Her eyes widened and she ducked, hissing as a piece of rock collided into her shoulder, knocking her off balance and to the floor. She scanned the ground and located the area Robin had designated, bright chalk marking the 'x' on the floor as Superboy and Aqualad demolished the other two pillars.

Elliot quickly made her way to the small contraption, hitting a few buttons and fishing out her screwdriver as she adjusted a few bolts. The spider-box turned and curled, withdrawing the various threads and shooting them straight along one wall as Aqualad spread water across the floor. Kid Flash ran by, skidding across the water and sliding to a halt as Desmond ran to attack.

Superboy soared over her head and slammed into the beast, knocking him to the ground as her steel web caught him, locking him into place as Aqualad sent an electricity current running along the water until it hit. A roar of pain filled the air and Robin pressed a button. "Move!"

Within seconds the walls came tumbling down around them, beams and pillars fell to the floor as a roar was cut short, and Elliot sprinted, the walls tumbling down. A heavy body lurched forward and Superboy launched himself over her and Kid, toppling them to the floor as the ceiling came crashing down.

Darkness and smoke filled her vision for the briefest moments, pain racking through her side until there was a lurch, like a heavy weight being lifted off them, and Superboy stood, knocking aside the piece of rock that'd been pinning them to the ground.

Free of dust and debris, Elliot shot up from the ground, panting as she leaned over bits of rubble, chest heaving up and down. The rest of them mimicked the action, breathing heavily, bits and pieces of their uniforms tattered, a pale light illuminating their figures.

"We...did it." Aqualad breathed, incredulous as Elliot slumped to the ground, her back against Robin's as he grinned.

"Was there...ever any...doubt?" He raised and hand, Kid high fiving it, but the action caused both teens to winced, and Elliot tried to laugh until her chest heaved with pain from the action and she grimaced.

The Cadmus scientist lay unconscious beneath the heavy bits of rubble, and Elliot rose, waving away Robin's hand this time as she gazed at Superboy, the black haired clone gazing at the rubble before him, as if in disbelief. The light shining down on them suddenly reminded Elliot and she stepped forward, gently tapping him on the shoulder and Superboy turned.

A wide smile split her lips, and Kid grinned. "See? The moon."

And the pale, luminous sphere above them shone down brightly, fully, enveloping them in a silvery band of light, casting aside all shadows behind them. Elliot contemplated taking a picture of it for a moment before a figure appeared on the horizon, and her eyes widened in recognition of the familiar flying form.

"_And _Superman," Kid added, crossing his arms over his chest as Superboy's eyes widened. "Do we keep our promises or what?"

The Kryptonian came to a landing before them, and Elliot tensed as other members began to file in. Leaguers filling the stands left and right, and a green platform lowered to the ground as well as Batman stepped forward, the Flash appearing alongside him.

_Well... _Knowing that a full, thorough explanation was about to happened, Elliot sighed, turning her head upwards to the moon, round and luminous against the inky canvas.

_At least the moon looks beautiful tonight._

* * *

><p>Golden amber irises watched as the Cadmus scientist was carried away, the taut, heavy silence in the air now that Superboy's origins had been thrown out and heard. The five teens stood together, Elliot nervously fiddling with whatever scraps of metal she'd picked up while Superboy turned, footsteps approaching as he faced Superman.<p>

"We'll figure something out for you—the League will, I mean." Elliot winced, a screw not slipping into its place as Superboy shifted. "For now... I better make sure they get that Blockbuster creature squared away."

Within seconds Superman was off, disappearing into the night sky and leaving Superboy behind. Elliot frowned, tempted to voice her opinion on how the Man of Steel seemed to be running off when Superboy glanced downwards, looking away. Elliot paused, shifting as she shuffled through her belt and her fingers enclosed around a larger, hard item. Her eyes widened in realization and she pulled out the camera, her lips turning upwards as she stalked forward.

"Superboy!" Clear water blue eyes snapped to her figure and Elliot leapt forward, slinging an arm around his shoulder as she stretched onto her tip toes, stretching her arm out as she held the camera before them. "Say cheese!"

A gentle flash went off once, twice, two photos popped out and Superboy blinked, shaking his head and taking a step back in surprise. He opened his mouth to protest when he paused, Elliot smiling brightly up at him as she held a photo in her hand, offering it to him. "That's a keeper, don't you think?"

The color printed photo illustrated a confused, wide eyed Superboy in his brief moment of confusion and Elliot's grinning, torn mask, dirt streaked face beside him. Superboy stopped, gazing at the photo as she slid it into his hands and pocketed the second one. "You should keep that."

His blues met her gold and she grinned. "Think of it as a commemorative present for our first mission together."

"But this... The photos from before—"

"And those, well, I need a few of them back, but the rest you can keep." She flashed him a wink and blinked in realization as Superboy remained dumbfounded, staring at the photo in his hands as she turned. "Robs, Kid, Aqualad, c'mere for a sec!"

Robin and Kid turned, spotting the camera in her hands and grinning despite themselves while Aqualad blinked, looking mildly confused as he walked forward. "Stand as close as you guys can will you? You too Superboy, hop in."

The young super looked confused, until Kid jerked him in, and Elliot turned in a full circle before she settled on a piece of debris, setting the camera down and flicking the timer. She quickly slid into the group, her arm sliding around Robin, his doing the same as Kid's arm laid itself over her shoulders. A bright smile touched her lips and the flash went off, the light shining before it dispersed and the photo slid out. Kid quickly zipped forward, plucking the photo out and grinning. "Am I photogenic or what?"

Elliot plucked the photo from his hands and she gazed down at it, a smile split her lips at the image of the five of them, ragged, dirtied, but smiling—well, Superboy sort of glared, and Aqualad looked like he really did try—brought a flutter of warmth her heart as she slid it into her pocket. "That's a keeper."

The sudden burst of happiness came to a screech halt when a familiar presence appeared behind her, and she suddenly realized she should be looking after herself before taking photos.

"Cadmus will be thoroughly investigated, all fifty-two levels." Batman concluded finally, stepping forward, cloaked in shadows as he gazed down at them. "But let's make one thing clear—"

"You should've called," Flash interrupted, Batman glancing to him out of the corner of his cowl as the speedster crossed his arm over his chest, eyes narrowed.

"End results aside, we are not happy." Batman continued, and Elliot winced, her fingers drumming along her belt until Superboy flung his arm out, ceasing the rapid tapping as she shyly slid her hands into her pockets instead. "You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives, specifically those of non-Leaguers." Elliot winced at that, knowing where it was directed at. "You will _not _be doing this again."

At that final phrase though, the trepid fear at the idea of a scolding from Batman suddenly vanished, pushed aside as she paused, her fingers no longer drumming along her belt as she glanced upwards. And golden eyes hardened as Robin stepped forward, and Aqualad spoke up. "I'm sorry, but we will."

"Aqualad, stand down." Aquaman ordered, and the fellow hero shook his head, touching his chest.

"My apologies my king, but no." Aquaman arched a brow. "We did good work here tonight, the work you trained us to do, together, on our own; we forged something great and powerful—important."

"If this is about your treatment at the hall," Flash began, "the four of you—"

"Five. Five of us." Kid Flash corrected. "And it's not."

"Batman, we're ready to use what you taught us." Robin stepped forward, opening up his arms as he gestured to his fellow heroes. "Or why teach us at all?"

"We don't have to sit back and wait for our time to come," Elliot added, and Batman gazed hard at her, eyes like melted gold as she gazed back evenly. "You taught us to be able to be ready for this day."

"Why let them tell us what to do?" Superboy snapped, crossing his arms over his chest as he narrowed his eyes. "It's simple, get on board, or get out of the way."

The moon shone down, bright, powerful, and the five young heroes stood tall, facing the people who had brought them to this point evenly and without any hesitation. Batman remained silent, his eyes narrowing slightly beneath his cowl.

_I just want to help however I can. _Elliot stood tall, tilting her chin upwards and narrowing her eyes slightly, refusing to budge under her mentor's stare. _Even if he won't put me on the team with them, I want to help._

But in that moment as the light of the moon shone down, their fates were sealed. They'd stepped out from the shadows and into the light, and they only path they could continue to march on was forward.

The dice had been cast.

* * *

><p>"This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League," Batman stalked down the line of heroes, his gaze flickering to the sudden mess of tousled dark locks and oil smeared face before he continued. "But we're calling it into service again. Since you five are so determined to stick together and fight the good fight, you'll do it on League terms. Red Tornado has volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary's in charge of training. <em>I <em>will deploy you on missions."

"Real missions?" Robin prodded.

"Yes, but covert." Batman answered firmly, and Flash grinned beside them.

"The League will still handle the obvious stuff. There's a reason we have these big targets on our chests."

"But Cadmus proves that the bad guys are getting smarter, and Batman needs a team to operate on the sly." Aquaman smiled slightly and Batman turned back to them.

"The six of you will be that team."

Elliot's eyes hone brighter and she stepped forward. "Then—"

"The original plan the other day had been for you to undergo an assessment to see if you would be ready to work out in the field alongside Robin and the rest," Batman began, and Elliot's eyes went wide. "But with the change of events, plans were rewritten, and it was decided you had rightfully earned your spot on this team."

Golden eyes shone brightly, Elliot's lips splitting upwards into a wide grin until Batman added. "But you will be playing a larger role here at base, and your participation in missions will be limited at certain times."

Elliot deflated slightly, understanding she'd have to take what she could get for now.

"That's great, but six of us?" Robin questioned and Elliot blinked, craning her head and doing a mental countdown and only coming up with five.

Two figures stepped from the shadows of the entrance and the group turned, Elliot blinking in surprise as a young girl stepped into the light alongside M.M. "This is Martian Manhunter's niece, Miss Martian."

"Hi," the freckled green-skin girl smiled, long auburn locks falling down her shoulders as she offered a small wave.

"I didn't know he had a niece," Elliot commented off handedly, trying in vain to wipe off the oil stains on her cheek as Kid simply grinned, a dazzled look flickering across his face.

"Liking this gig more every minute," he stepped forward, extending his arms outwards. "I'm Kid Flash, that's Robin, Aqualad, Mecha—it's cool if you forget their names."

"I'm honored to be included," Miss Martian smiled shyly, and her eyes locked on Elliot's form, a look of excitement flickering through them as she somewhat brushed by Kid. "It's great to know there's another girl on the team as well!"

"...same." Elliot blinked, glancing down at her black stained hands and wiping it off on her tank top before she offered her a crooked smile. "Nice to meet you."

A body seemed to be missing from the group and Elliot tipped her head back. "Superboy, come meet our new teammate."

Superboy paused, shifting before he stalked forward silently. Miss Martian smiled as he approached, and the white color of her shirt turned black. "I like your shirt."

Superboy blinked before the corner of his lip turned slightly upwards, and Kid slung an arm around his shoulder, grinning and Elliot smiled, the presence of the photo in her back pocket suddenly warm as she gazed at the people before her, small, but a gentle opening. The door she'd kept so carefully closed to those she'd considered her family was letting go of a lock, and it was slowly starting to push open.

And with that, the first step from the shadows had been taken.

And there was no going back.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Goodness <strong>_**gracious that was a long first chapter, but the idea of splitting the first episode seemed a little **_**eh **_**to me, so I decided to fill it all in. I really hope you all enjoyed the first read of Veni Mecum, and I really, really am excited to finally begin this story, especially a story for Young Justice because I fell in love with the show the moment I saw it, and I had to write a story for it.**

**I'm also looking forward to writing Elliot's character, mainly because she's such a normal, odd mashup of traits from characters I've written before, so I hope you'll all enjoy her as well.**

**I apologize for the length, but hopefully it was enjoyable! Thank you all for taking out the time and giving it a shot, it really means a lot to me. :)**

**THANKS YOU LOVELY PEOPLE. HOPE YOU ALL STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER. ;)**

**Marshmellow-**

**-OUT!**


	2. it gains strength as it goes

**Thank you all so much for your kind reviews, favorites, and follows! I'm glad you're all liking the story so far. :)**

**I do not own Young Justice.**

* * *

><p><strong>Veni Mecum<strong>

Chapter Two:

"_Vires acquirit eundo"_

_._

_._

_._

"It gains strength as it goes."

* * *

><p>"You're out in the <em>field <em>now?"

Elliot withheld the wince at the surprisingly incredulous, and dare she say displeased tone of Roy Harper—in his uniform at the moment—Speedy, as dark, smoldering eyes narrowed flatly at her from beneath his mask. Despite Robin beside her and Kid Flash at her shoulder, and even Aqualad beside them, she was suddenly tempted to take a step back as Roy bore down on her, muscular and firm, his presence taking up the small area around them as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You sound excited," Elliot said finally, gently pushing the hand of one of the goons they'd just beaten to the side with her foot.

"I'm no—" Roy paused, his lips quirked downwards and he turned to the other three males beside her. "You think she's _ready_?"

"I don't see why not!" Kid grinned brightly, resting an arm on her shoulder as he grinned. Roy's gazed followed the action, staring for a moment before he glanced back up. "You should've seen how we took down Cadmus—"

"Mecha has proven herself, not just to us, but to Batman as well," Aqualad explained finally, his calm voice forcing Roy to look at him levelly. "She would not be here with us tonight if he had second doubts."

"Though I _can _speak for myself," Elliot flashed them a smile. "Thanks. But look, I can handle myself you know, I'm not hopeless."

The doubt was clear on Roy's face as he stared back flatly. Elliot continued to smile as he stared, and she slyly glanced to the three goons she'd managed to secure with her steel wires.

His brows furrowed, gaze hardening. "That's coming from the girl who almost assisted a robbery _unintentionally_."

Aqualad look startled, Robin snickered and Kid patted her back comfortingly, but was unable to withhold his grin. Elliot's golden eyes turned flat. "That was one time—he just asked me to watch the door and—aside from little slip ups, I'm strong!"

Though her words seemed less effective as she stood before Roy, his towering figure looming over her. And despite the mask shielding his face, she could image his eyes, a deep, dark blue, glaring back at her.

"You're strong."

"I'm pretty strong." Elliot repeated, nodding her head as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Within seconds Roy's leg shot out, Elliot's eyes widening as he swiped her legs out from under her. Her body began to fall back, but her arms instantly shot out, palms down as she propelled herself backwards. But Roy followed after her, swinging his fist around and she ducked, bring her leg around to deliver a roundhouse kick.

"Shouldn't we stop—" Kid began, stepping forward in disbelief, but Robin shook his head, grinning slightly.

"I don't think Speedy can really approve of her fighting crime just yet," Robin explained, watching as his friend ducked and dodged Roy's relentless assault. "So just give them a second."

Roy swung an arm out and she ducked to the left, feinting right before she pushed off from one of the beams above the harbor, forcing herself forward. Roy's arms went up to block but she arched her back midair, knocking into his side just hard enough to topple him over. His legs staggered back and she pushed down, his back colliding with the floor. Roy moved to stand but she was on him, pinning him down and straddling his midsection as she panted, golden eyes looking victorious.

"See?" She inhaled, smiling brightly down at him. "Strong."

But years of training should have really taught her better as Roy narrowed his eyes, bucking his hips upwards and catching her by surprise as he surged forward, her weight not enough to pin him down as he flipped them over. Kid frowned, ready to step in, but Robin shook his head once more.

Elliot's back hit the floor and she groaned, ready to dodge, but a heavy weight landed on her and a rush of air left her as Roy straddled her hips, pinning her hands down on either side of her head. Elliot blinked, Roy staring down at her flatly. "See? Not ready."

Her lips turned upwards, golden eyes glittering, and Roy paused until a gentle hum filled the air. His gaze turned upwards and small cubes seemed to hover in the air, held in place by a magnetic force until Elliot snapped her fingers, and the cubes flattened into spinning disks, thin and ready to cut. Roy was silent, eyes narrowing as he scowled, and she smiled brightly up at him. "I'd say otherwise."

"She's been on missions with us before," Robin started finally, and Roy sat up, finally getting off Elliot—to her relief—and offering her a hand. Any other day, she would have taken it, but tonight she rose up on her own, brushing herself off before deactivating the cubes, watching them fall harmlessly onto the floor until she pressed a button and they came together, forming one larger cube that she picked up. "She's not inexperienced, and it's not like she's going to be running off on her own. We'll be with her."

"And technically, she doesn't exactly need your approval," Kid added, whistling innocently when Roy sent him a searing glare.

"None of that matters if she won't take a fight seriously," Roy said finally, and Elliot blinked, surprised—ah, who was she kidding, it was pretty obvious she didn't have her heart into it—that he'd noticed.

"I was surprised," Elliot offered. "Didn't think you'd tackle me head on, and plus, you're my friend."

"Nonetheless, you should always be ready. What if I were being controlled? You expect to stand a chance—"

"But you weren't controlled." Elliot smiled, brightly despite Roy's narrowed eyes. "And I trust you."

The next argument left his lips, his mouth closing and settling into a scowl as he crossed his arms over his chest, settling for glaring at her, as if he could will her to submit simply by staring. _Hah_. She simply grinned back unabashedly at him, unfazed. She was raised by _Batman _after all, the king of intimidating looks, and good as he was at it, she wouldn't back down that easy.

"But you know that we didn't come here to ask whether or not you approved," Aqualad stepped forward. "We came to offer you a place on our team."

"And if you're _so _worried about my safety," Elliot added cheekily, but her gaze was soft as she smiled. "You should come with us."

She'd known Roy for several years now. Though she was closest to Robin in both time and relations, she'd bet both Roy and Wally later on in her time with them. Though initially she and Roy hadn't seen eye to eye—not that that changed much even now—she'd trust him with her life. He was her friend, and if this was something for all of them, she'd rather have him on this team as well.

"You in?" Robin grinned, but Roy's face seemed to flicker until it hardened.

"Pass. I'm done with Arrow and the League telling me what to do. I don't need a babysitter or a club hangout with the other kids. Your junior justice league is a joke, something to keep you busy and in your place." Roy turned his back on them, prepared to leave until he paused.

He bent down and shuffled through the suit pocket of an unconscious goon, and coming forward with a piece of paper and a pen. He scribbled something onto the surface before he marched forward, Elliot taking a step back in surprise when he shoved the paper into her hands and narrowed his eyes. "My new number. Memorize it. If you're ever in way over your head, you call. No questions. Got it?"

"When would I ever—"

"_Got _it?"

"Aye, sir." Elliot blinked at the ink numbers and looked back up at him as he turned, her brows furrowing. "But wouldn't it be easier if you...were there too?"

"I'll pass." With that Roy turned and moved to the shadows between two cargo decks, not sparing them a final glance. "That team is a joke."

With that he was gone, leaving nothing behind but a number and distraught faces.

And Elliot couldn't help but feel slightly touched that he'd decided to give them his new number to keep them updated.

So maybe _a little further down_, he still cared, and would have their backs.

* * *

><p>When Batman had told her she would finally be apart of this team, finally be out in the <em>field<em>, Elliot had been beyond ecstatic, hell, she'd been majorly _whelmed. _The idea of finally being able to fight alongside her closest friends and _do something _had made her heart swell and adrenaline course through her veins.

_But of course..._ Her fingers paused, mid-screw in creating some new invention—and if it worked out right, would be able to fire off small flathead arrows in seconds—as she rested her cheek on her palm and blinked, staring idly off into the bulletin board now messily decorated with blue prints and structural drawings. A small photo of her and Dick from Christmas a few years ago was pinned in the corner, adding a little homey feel to the whole thing. The photos she'd taken over the years were all pinned to a separate wall, ranging from scenery to Wally stuffing his face, and all the way down to their latest one. _There's always a catch._

And that meant that Batman's prime ideal for her participation in this team was to act as their engineer, mechanic, whatever you would like to call it. Though he informed her she would be deployed on missions from time to time, the duties and responsibilities of upgrading weapons and inventing new ones for the team, and the cave, would fall onto her shoulders. And _yeah_, she loved this kind of stuff—she was a true child born from the forge, where others saw scraps she saw inventions—but it didn't mean she hadn't _kinda _gotten her hopes up that there'd be more to this gig.

Her new workshop in the cave was great though, she couldn't complain about that. Equipped with tools of all kinds and her own blacksmith's forge, she could build and create as she pleased. And it connected to a fair sized room to the right; serving as a bedroom should she choose to stay the night instead of returning to Wayne Manor.

_I guess I just have to be patient. _She blew her lips and idly prodded a strange dragon-like metal creation with her wrench before she shoved up her goggles, mussing her already tousled locks as she laid her chin against the desk. _But would it kill him to think I can do a little more than loosen a few bolts? Elliot Winterstorm can do more than build some awesome machines too, you know._

She felt the vents switch on—was someone cooking?—and a breeze fluttered through the room, rustling papers and drawing her attention towards the scrap of paper she'd recently pinned to her board, a number scrawled out in ink. Golden eyes flickered and she spun around in her swivel chair and pushed herself across the room, sliding a panel open and gazing at the costume that lay beneath.

Robin had a say in the design, and grudgingly Kid managed to get a few words in too when she'd been making it. Long dark gray combat boots that reached below her knees, tight black shorts, loops wide to fit her tool belts that would criss cross over her hips (Robin had customized it to make it look a little similar to his despite her protests). A dark gray shirt with a white 'M' in the middle (Kid said it always added a little flair) was the top, followed by a black cape that went over her shoulders (Rob again), and her black mask.

And sadly, the poor thing had only seen the light of day, or the moon, thrice in the days passing so far after the Cadmus incident.

"But Bats knows what he's doing," Elliot reminded herself with a sigh, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "So I guess I've just got to wait..."

A heavy knock sounded on the door and she perked up, turning and wincing when a second knock came, denting the door slightly beneath it. She heard a muttered curse behind the door and smiled. "It's open!"

The door popped open and Superboy stepped in, scowl in place as he glared at the door before turning to her. "Aqualad wanted to know where you were."

"Well, I'm here," Elliot gestured to herself before grinning up at him. "What can I do for you?"

Superboy blinked, his head craning around to take in the sight of the workshop around him—tools littered across the floor, papers already starting to fall from where she'd just set them, and odd gadgets and metal to glass contraptions all around. "Did you... make all of these?"

Elliot blinked, glancing around before rubbing the back of her neck with a small laugh. "For the most part, some aren't finished though."

"That's...cool." Superboy said finally, looking for the right words as Elliot beamed at the compliment, knowing getting words out of this guy was a victory itself.

"Thanks—hey, try this for me, would you?" Elliot tossed him a pair of seemingly thin gloves and Superboy caught it with ease, blinking. "Go ahead, try them on."

Slowly, he slipped the gloves on and blinked when they suddenly hardened, a metal sheen falling over as they grew slightly in size and density, becoming iron fists. Elliot hummed, tapping the desk before she turned around. "It fits around your hands... so it should convert just fine..."

"You made these?" Superboy flexed his fingers, looking slightly amazed as he threw a punch into the air. A sudden wave of wind followed the action, slamming into the wall and toppling over various tools this way and that. The two teens blinked, Superboy turning to Elliot as she paused.

"...wind turbines are working fine too it seems."

Superboy slipped off the gloves and set them down onto a table as Elliot spun in her chair and went back to work at her desk. The Kyrptonian made his way to stand a little ways beside her as he surveyed the workshop, looking faintly interested in this whole thing as she worked. His eyes turned upwards and Superboy paused, catching the several photos of her and Robin pinned along her wall. "Are you two... together... or something?"

Elliot's wrench pulled a screw too tight and she blinked, looking up at Superboy in surprise until he followed his gaze. "Oh—_oh_," she shook her head, laughing slightly. "No, nothing like that. Robs my... Well, he's my closest friend; we're almost like siblings I guess, just without the blood... Or the title. I grew up with him and Batman."

"You grew up with Batman?" Superboy turned to look at her sharply. "Are you—"

"No, but practically family." Elliot paused, looking thoughtful before she continued. "I guess I just never let him sign the papers, and he never pushed it. When I was little they took me in and brought me up."

"What happened to your parents?" Superboy leaned against her worktable, looking at her curiously as Elliot smiled, not surprised that he didn't seem to beat around the bush with his curiosity.

"It's kind of complicated... But in short, my dad was a drunk, my mom got into drugs, and things weren't that pretty. But I met Robin on the side while I was playing at the park and got to know him, and one night they found me out on the streets when I was in trouble and decided I was a lost cause worth saving." A warm smile turned her lips upwards, golden eyes warm like honey. "I owe them my life."

"...He sounds like a great guy." Superboy turned his head, and Elliot glanced to him, staring at his furrowed brows for a moment before she smiled broadly.

"He is, isn't he? Way cooler than Superman."

"What?" Superboy turned, incredulous as Elliot nodded.

"Batman is way cooler than Superman."

"No he isn't."

"Yeah, he is."

"Superman can fly, he's got super strength, heat vision—how is Batman any better than him?" Superboy leaned forward, eyes narrowed and Elliot simply smiled, golden eyes glittering.

"Batman beats some of the biggest baddies out there _without _super powers."

"Superman could beat him _easy_." Superboy declared, slamming his fist into her desk, and she blinked at the small crater he'd created. "Sorry."

"I'd bet money on Batman's win."

"Then you'd _lose_."

"I'd be rich."

"Superman is one of the strongest heroes out there!"

"Batman is too, but he does all of his work from the shadows. I think that sounds cooler."

"All he does is flap around and toss things!"

"Superman flies around and lifts things up. And he does not _flap_, okay? He _glides_."

"How is he—"

"Hey guys—oh." The two teens turned to where Miss Martian stood, looking surprised before she blushed, offering a quick wave before she continued. "I hope I'm not disturbing anything, but Aqualad's tracked Red Tornado and I think he's on his way."

"Cool," Elliot offered her a small smile in return and stood, stretching her arms over her head with a satisfying groan until she paused, and turning to Superboy she added. "And while Batman is _way _cooler than Superman, when it comes down to heroes, I think Green Lantern's pretty cool."

She flashed him a wink at his dumbfounded expression and slipped out of her workshop, smiling at Miss Martian before she continued on her way, whistling all the while. Miss Martian turned to Superboy. "What was that about?"

"...don't worry about it."

* * *

><p>One of the openings to the cave shifted downwards, the hanger opening up to reveal grass and thick trees as a spinning torrent of red came towards them. Elliot slipped her hands into her pockets as the wind tugged at her ponytail, Red Tornado coming to a halt before them. "Greetings. Is there a reason why you have contacted me outside the cave?"<p>

"We hoped you had a mission for us," Aqualad said calmly, and the android was silent before he answered.

"Mission assignments are the Batman's responsibility."

"But it's been over a week and nothing is—" Robin started, but Red Tornado raised a hand to cut him off.

"You will be tested soon enough, for the time being, simply enjoy each other's company."

"This team is not a social club," Aqualad stated firmly. And Elliot wondered if he was thinking to what Speedy had said to them before.

"No. But I am told social interaction is an important team building exorcise." He began to walk forward, not sparing them another glance. "Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourself with the cave."

Elliot frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "Already did that..." Kid and Robin flashed her incredulous looks and she blinked. "What? As your mechanic I've got to know the blueprints of our base front to back."

"Familiarize ourselves, what does he think this is?" Kid muttered, looking annoyed, and even Robin seemed slightly put off by the orders.

"Does he think this is a joke?"

"Oh, I'll find out." Miss Martian began, turning around and gazing hard at Red Tornado. The android continued on his path, entering the cave and she blinked, sighing. "I'm sorry; I forgot he's a machine. Inorganic...I cannot read his mind."

"Nice try though," Kid offered, and a smirk tugged at his lips as he shifted closer. "So, you know what _I'm _thinking right now?"

"We all know what _you're _thinking now," Robin elbowed Kid, and the speedster flinched, flashing him an annoyed look.

Aqualad glanced downwards before looking up, his face slightly hard. "And now we tour the clubhouse."

"Well, Superboy and I live here, we can play tour guides." Miss Martian offered, and when the group turned Superboy blinked.

"Don't look at me."

"We won't." Kid leaned forward, smiling suavely towards the young Martian. "A private tour sounds fun."

"She never said private." Robin corrected.

"And if you'd like, I'd love the help, Mecha." Elliot blinked, looking to the young Martian in surprise as she offered her a bright smile. "Especially since you know your way around so well."

"Hah, fat chance," Kid slung a heavy arm around her shoulder and Elliot frowned. "Our _mechanic _tends to get herself lost before she even knows it."

"I do not—"

"You should see her at home," Robin added, shaking his head as he grinned, eyes glittering beneath his shades. "She gets lost on her way to the bathroom."

"Okay, you _know _how big Br—our place is." Elliot defended, but the two simply continued to grin as she huffed, Miss Martian giggling softly at the scene.

"Team bonding, we'll all go." Aqualad said finally, and the group turned to follow after Miss Martian. "But Mecha will stay center so she does not get lost."

"What the—oh, _come on_."

* * *

><p>"And that would be the back," Miss Martian gestured to the cliff top view from the edge of the mountain. Elliot's eyes shone as the sea stretched on endlessly to their eyes, bits of trees and brush dotting the mountain side as it rose upwards. "The entire cave is the mountain."<p>

The view really was beautiful. The salty sea breeze wafted up to meet them and Elliot beamed, slipping her hands into her tool belt before she pulled out her camera, snapping a photo of the shimmering waves and cliff sides before she tucked it away as they retreated back inside.

"The whole thing was hollowed out by Superman and Green Lantern in the earlier days of the League," Kid added expertly, and Superboy frowned.

"Then why abandon it for the Hall of Justice?"

"The cave's secret location was... compromised." Aqualad explained.

"So they traded it in for a tourist trap? Yeah, that makes sense." Superboy turned aside and Elliot simply smiled.

"If villains no the cave, then we must be on constant alert." Miss Martian realized, looking alarmed until robin grabbed her hand, offering her a reassuring smile. _His Dick Grayson smile. _Elliot added to herself.

"The bad guys know we know about the place, so they'd never think to look here."

Kid put his hand over Robin's and turned to Miss Martian with a bright smile. "Uh, he means we're hiding in plain sight."

"Ah, that makes... more sense."

"Whose brilliant idea was that? Probably Batman." Elliot smirked, and Superboy narrowed his eyes.

"Superman carved out this cave, didn't he?"

"_And _Green Lantern."

Superboy's brows suddenly furrowed and he sniffed, turning his head around. "I smell smoke."

Miss Martian's eyes went wide and she lifted herself from the floor and into the air, shooting down the hall. "My cookies!"

Sure enough, the smell of smoke and sickeningly sweet smell wafted up from the kitchen as the group filed in, and Elliot winced at the burnt hockey pucks Miss Martian pulled out. A frown touched her lips as she sighed, crestfallen. "I was trying out Grammy Jones' recipe from episode—ahah, never mind!"

"I'd bet they would've tasted great," Robin assured, and a loud _crunch _filled the room as eyes turned. "He doesn't seem to mind."

Kid blinked around a mouthful of burnt cookie, another in his hand. "I have...a serious metabolism."

"I'll make more?" Miss Martian offered.

"It was sweet of you to make any." Aqualad assured, and she smiled at that.

"Thanks, Aqualad."

"We're off duty, call me Kaldur'ahm." A small smile and he added. "But my friends call me Kaldur."

"I'm Wally," Wally leaned forward, resting his head on his hands as he smiled up at Miss Martian. "See? I already trust you with my secret I.D, unlike Mr. Dark Glasses over here and Mecha." Elliot frowned and Robin narrowed his eyes, resting his hands on his hips. "Batman's forbidden Boy Wonder and Mech from telling anyone their real names."

_It's not like I mind. _Robin glanced at her when he noticed her tempted look and she deflated. "One of the rules for letting me in, Bat's orders."

"Mine is no secret—it's M'gann M'orzz, but you can call me Megan. It's an earth name, and I'm on earth now so..." She shrugged, and turning to Elliot she added. "And I think it's kind of cute—like a nickname!" Miss Martian offered, looking eager as Elliot blinked in surprise. "It'll be like we're sisters! Mecha and Megan—M and M."

"Maybe you can shed some of the golden light of feminism onto our friend here," Wally grasped Elliot's shoulders, resting his cheek on her head as he sighed ruefully. "She seems to be missing the gene."

"Hop off, West—"

"Oh, I'd beg to differ," Robin smirked, tapping the cookie tray. "Maybe she's missing a more feminine outlook, but she does have this whole domestic thing down back home."

"Robs," Elliot turned, looking pleadingly toward her friend, golden eyes shining. "You're supposed to have my back."

"We should make cookies together sometime!" M'gann's eyes shone and she rushed forward, clasping Elliot's hands in hers as the dark haired girl blinked, startled for a moment. "We can bake all kinds of things—_oh_, and shopping! We can go down to the beach and we—"

"Can do our hair, our makeup, our nails," Wally grinned impishly at Elliot's pale face, the young girl grimacing as she tried to find a way to start digging herself out of this hole. "_Everything _Mecha just loves..."

"You know what else we should do?" Wally blinked as Elliot smiled brilliantly towards M'gann. "Have sleepovers—_just like the movies._"

The red head's emerald eyes went wide at the idea, images of the two before him tossing pillows and giggling flashing through like a wonderful daydream until Elliot added. "But you know, _only _all girl sleepovers."

Wally deflated, looking stricken as M'gann giggled. Golden eyes flickered to the end of the room where Superboy suddenly stood, moving to exit until he paused, turning around roughly with wide eyes. His eyes narrowed and Elliot's brows furrowed as he clutched his head. "Get _out _of my head!"

M'gann's eyes widened and all eyes turned to her as she glanced around. _"What's wrong? I don't understand."_

Elliot winced, reaching up and touching her head as the sudden feeling of being split open filled her, leaving her feeling naked and vulnerable as M'gann's voice came through crystal clear. _"Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically—"_

"M'gann _stop_." The sudden intrusion shot back as quickly as it came and Elliot shook her head, shuddering at the feel. Kaldur looked at her sternly. "Here on earth, it's an extreme invasion of privacy."

"Besides, Cadmus' creepy little physic genomes left a bad taste in his brain," Wally explained, nodding to Superboy.

M'gann's eyes went wide and she turned. "I didn't mean too—"

"Just stay _out_." Superboy growled, stalking off to sit a little ways away.

Elliot eyed his hunched figure for a moment before turning to M'gann with a small smile. "We know you don't mean any harm, but it's just... it takes time to get used too."

M'gann's amber eyes softened before they brightened and she tapped the side of her head. "Hello, Megan! I know what we can do!"

The Martian suddenly flew off, leaving the group behind her to stare after for a moment before shrugging, following where she went. Elliot glanced to Superboy's hardened face and she paused, opening her mouth when M'gann appeared, taking a step towards the teen.

Elliot stared for a moment longer before smiling, turning on her heel and following after the rest of her team.

* * *

><p>"It's my Martian bioship." M'gann declared proudly, and Elliot perked up at the word 'ship' as M'gann lead them forward.<p>

The small red and black pod floated a few feet above the ground, compact and smooth. Wally blinked before offering a small smile. "It's...cute. Not aerodynamic, but cute."

"It's at rest, silly." M'gann smiled, waving her hand. "I'll wake it."

The oval spherical shape quickly extended, morphing into a larger ship, narrow and slender as it grew to its full size. M'gann moved her hand and the ship spun around, Elliot's eyes shining in excitement as a door opened up. "Well? Are you coming?"

Despite the moment of hesitance Elliot quickly rushed forward, slipping inside as the rest shrugged before following. The dim lighting of the ship gave it an ethereal sort of glow, and Elliot whistled appreciatively, running her fingers along the walls until she paused, frowning as the others filed in. "It's...not metal?"

"Nope, completely organic." M'gann smiled proudly and she turned to the team. "Strap in for launch."

A deflated look came onto Elliot's face and Robin chuckled, ushering her to a seat as they rose forth from the ground of the ship. Warily she took a seat, instantly flinching when seat belts slid from the back and over her chest, locking her into place. "Cool... A little weird, but still cool."

"Red Tornado, please open the bay doors." M'gann took her spot at the head of the ship; two glowing orbs stretching forward as she gently moved her hands into the light. The hanger doors slid open and the ship rose upwards, until it surged forward.

Elliot quickly clutched her seat, paling as she flattened herself back. Though rolling hills and tree tops flashed by, incredible scenery at work, she refused to budge. M'gann glanced over and frowned. "Mecha, are you alright?"

"Fine. Peachy, I promise."

"Don't tell me you're afraid of heights." Superboy scoffed, and the dark haired girl narrowed her eyes.

"No, I'm _not _afraid of heights. It's just that the idea of flying in something without and screws or bolts makes me a little nervous." Elliot swallowed and M'gann smiled warmly.

"You have nothing to fear, the ship is one hundred percent stable, and completely organic."

"That's great and all, but the material I work with is usually _in_organic, so..."

"This is incredible," Robin praised, and Wally sighed, glancing over.

"She sure is."

M'gann glanced to the speedster and he blinked, looking flustered. "I mean the ship—the ship! Which is also normally called a 'she', like...most ships..."

"Fast on his feet, not so much with his mouth." Robin smirked, and Wally narrowed his eyes.

"Dude!"

Elliot's gaze shifted to where Kaldur leaned over to speak with Superboy. She followed M'gann's eyes and turned in her seat. "Don't let it bug you too much."

"He'll come around." Robin encouraged, but M'gann frowned, looking down.

"He doesn't seem to like me very much."

"You guys do know he was _super _hearing, right?" Wally inquired, and Elliot rolled her eyes.

"I didn't know Superman _sulked_."

Superboy's shoulders squared and he half turned in his seat, shooting her a glare so deadly, if he really did have heat vision, she imagined she wouldn't be here right now. "I didn't think Bats would be afraid of heights."

"Highly arguable," Robin commented offhandedly, smirking as Elliot groaned.

"Cut me some slack—I'm not afraid of heights! Just this ship's layout!"

"Hey," Robin grinned suddenly, turning toward M'gann. "How about you show us a little of that Martian shape shifting?"

M'gann's eyes lit up at that and she stood, Elliot watching curiously as the bottom of her shoes turned black, and suddenly she had the carbon copy of robin smirking back at her, well, sans a little well-needed testosterone. She spun around and mimicked Kid Flash, offering them a more feminine version of the speedster.

"Is it wrong that I think I'm hot?" Wally swooned, and M'gann smiled turning once more.

Elliot blinked, startled by the same pair of golden eyes gazing back at her as M'gann beamed, an exact copy of herself, complete with her tousled locks and oil smear on her cheek—she had a stain on her face the_ whole _time_? _Elliot quickly rubbed at her cheek and Wally blinked, his lips turning upwards as his eyes grew slightly dreamy. "Two Mechas sounds like a great deal to me too."

"Very nice," Robin clapped his hands together, but offered her a small smile. "But you know you aren't fooling anyone with those, right?"

"Mimicking boys is a lot harder."

"And... your clothes," Kaldur started.

M'gann beamed, pulling at the collar. "They're organic, like the ship. They respond to my mental commands."

"As long as they're the only ones," Superboy muttered, and a tight silence followed the words until Wally perked up.

"Can you do that cool shifting through walls thing that Manhunter does?"

"Density shifting?" M'gann looked surprised before she smiled apologetically, brows furrowing. "No... It's a very advanced technique."

"Flash can vibrate his molecules through solid objects," Wally's eyes widened as Robin continued. "When he tries it, bloody nose."

"Dude!"

"Guess some people have it, and some people don't." Elliot mused, and Wally flashed his friend a pout as M'gann smiled.

"Here's something I can do," the entire ship seemed to flicker, and when Elliot glanced outwards, the same visual was offered, rolling hills, blue skies. "Camouflage mode." The dark haired girl took a second glance and blinked in surprise when she realized the entire ship seemed to be invisible, the edges and side wings gone from sight.

"_Red Tornado to Miss Martian, an emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Harbor power plant. I suggest you investigate, covertly. I'm sending coordinates._" The com suddenly went off and Elliot looked up in faint surprise.

"Received," M'gann shifted her hands. "Adjusting course."

"Tornado's keeping us busy again," Robin deducted, brows furrowing, and Elliot turned in her seat.

"Maybe he just has something for us to do," she shrugged, drumming her fingers along the seat until she sighed. "I'm sure he's trying too..."

"Well, a simple fire led you to Superboy. We should find out what caused the alert." M'gann offered hopefully, but the ship shifted and Elliot turned as Superboy narrowed his eyes.

"I think I know the cause."

Golden eyes flashed and Elliot shifted in alarm, her eyes growing wide at the sudden sight of a tornado barreling straight towards them. The wind tunnel picked up speed, picking up cars and ripping forth a lamppost with deadly power, and the ship shifted as M'gann turned, attempting to steady the bioship as it entered the current.

A hard turn nearly threw Elliot over the side had it not been for the belts, and a rough jostling began to shake the ship. M'gann narrowed her eyes and she shifted her hands, the entire ship shooting forward and breaking forth from the tunnel to hover above the parking lot. The belts around her dispersed and Elliot was up, pulling her goggles up and over her eyes as the hatch below them open and they leapt downwards.

She felt Robin shift beside her and she brought out her board, her boots glowing blue at the soles as she mounted the skateboard. Another tornado began to wreak havoc only several feet away, brushing against the power plant and threatening to destroy the entire structure. Elliot hesitated for a moment, torn between working the way she did with Robin and Batman and how she should act with the team.

_Would they follow after? _

"Robin, are tornadoes common in New England?" Aqualad questioned incredulously, and when there was no reply they turned to the empty spot. "Robin?"

"Mecha, hold up!" Wally took off, zipping after the dark haired girl as she pushed off on her board, making her way down to the building where she knew Robin would already be.

Glass shattered as windows busted open from the force of the wind. Elliot narrowed her eyes and tossed a sticky white slab of metal towards the door, the entire thing snapping before it crumpled and she rode on through, eyes darting this way and that for raven locks when she spotted Robin struggling to stand as a larger red figure approached him.

She instantly assessed a metal body and reasoned he was an android of some sort as he tensed, ready to attack if this went awry. Robin ducked out of the way as he sent another twister towards them, and before she could shift into position, Superboy busted through and leapt to crouch beside them. "Who's your new friend?"

"Didn't catch his name, but he plays kind of rough!" Robin announced, and Elliot pushed off, slamming her foot down and turning her board as she paused beside him.

High pressured waves of air rolled off the hardened gloves, tubes curling out and transferring back into his shoulders as a ripped green scarf fluttered, a low gust surrounding the unnamed villain. "My apologies, you may address me as Mr. Twister."

His hands rose and a blue light ran down the metal until the open holes at the end ejected the high pressured air. Elliot's eyes narrowed and she ran her eyes along the suit, trying to identify any chinks or signs of what it was made of as Superboy attempted to tackle Twister head on. Another blast and a tornado formed with the action, picking up Superboy and tossing him aside.

She quickly helped Robin up as the team regrouped, and there was the briefest pause, a unified thought, and then they charged.

Elliot hit her board and speeded to the side as Wally went head on, her eyes widened when a blast hit him straight on, tossing him through the wall and outside with terrifying ease. Her hands slipped into her belt and she scattered metal plates along the floor, tipping her board and spinning around just as Aqualad and M'gann were knocked away. "I was expecting a superhero, not children."

"We're _not _children," Robin snapped, flinging his arms out. A bomb destroyed the initial tornado, the batarang slamming into the suit. But Twister glanced down and flicked it aside as it exploded.

"Technically you _are._ Have you no adult supervision? I find your presence here...quite disturbing."

"_Well_, we hate to see you disturbed, let's see if you're more turbed once we kick your can!"

"'Cause we're about to kick your ass." Elliot smirked, flipping a switch, and the metal plates along the floor began to rise upwards, flattening out and forming steel walls around Twister.

He raised his hands but the wind buffeted, returning back as the walls slowly began to weave in closer together until it shut, forming a cube shape. M'gann lifted the metallic cube into the air, letting it spin for a moment before she slammed it hard against the ceiling. Cracks appeared against the wall and the pipe valve at the top snapped, hot steam shooting down and enveloping the cube.

There seemed to be a pause before Elliot heard a distinct _snap_, her heart picked up at the familiar sound of metal crumbling and she shuffled through her belt, trying to find something to work with when the cube finally split apart, pieces of metal flying this way and that as Twister rose upwards, powering himself from the force of the wind pushing from his gloves. "You think something like that can contain _me?_"

But Superboy surged forward, raising his fist to slam hard into the red armor, but a hand raised and he was knocked aside. M'gann lunged, Elliot tailing as she slipped a steel cable and arrow out, sliding it into a small grappling gun and firing it off.

The arrow impaled through the metal, and Elliot as M'gann shot forward. She pressed down and an electric current ran through the cable, following along until it reached its destination. There was an angered cry and M'gann picked up one of the metal walls and slammed it against Twister.

Robin and Kaldur ran past them, surging forward, but Twister raised his gloves and caught them in a vortex, tossing them around until they slammed into each other.

"Robin!" Elliot hopped onto her board, only to be knocked aside as a torrent slammed into her, flattening her against the wall. A second shot went out and slammed M'gann as well, and Twister rose upwards.

"That was quite turbing, thank you." Elliot shook her head, groaning as a wave of pain washed over her and she propped herself up on her arms. Twister left the plant, making his way outside. _Wally._

Elliot grimaced, reaching over and grabbing her skateboard as she stood, the others already on their feet as they made their way outside. A flurry of wind shot by, Wally caught in the draft and ready to slam into the floor until M'gann raised her hand and the dust cloud cleared, Wally hovering mid air. "I got you, Wally."

"Thanks," the speedster touched ground with a sigh of relief until he turned his gaze upwards, and Elliot kept a hand on her belt, ready to pull out whatever she could.

"I thought you would have all learned your limitations by now."

"What do you want?" Kaldur snapped, and Twister rose upwards, raising his hands.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm waiting for a real hero."

"Read his mind," Kaldur ordered, and M'gann blinked, looking startled.

"I thought you said not to do that—"

"It's okay with the bad guys!" Robin exclaimed, and M'gann nodded, her eyes narrowing as she raised her hand to her head.

A look of frustration crossed over her features. "Nothing, I'm getting nothing—" Her eyes went wide and she tapped the side of her head. "_Hello_, Megan! Mr. Twister is Red Tornado in disguise! He's inorganic, and android. And how many androids do you know that can generate tornadoes?"

Elliot frowned, her shoulders slumping slightly and her board ceased to hum beneath her feet. "But why would..."

"Red Tornado sent us here!" Kaldur face dawned with realization.

"After saying we'd be tested soon enough—_this _is his test," Robin snapped, opening his arms up wide. "Something to keep us busy."

"Speedy called it," Wally glanced downwards, brows furrowing as a look of irritation crossed his face. "We're a joke."

_I will not let Roy have the satisfaction of thinking he's right. _Elliot's eyes narrowed and she stepped in between the two. "I don't know, even though the metal build up made to shape this guy is similar, the way the air canons fire don't look like the kind of structure Red uses—"

"He probably just made himself look different and changed a few things around," Wally shook his head. "And where would another tornado shooting android come from?"

The speedster shook his head and stalked forward. "This game is so over."

Elliot frowned and Robin put a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head as they walked forward. Golden eyes looked clouded as she ran through Red's structure from what she could remember, comparing the metal. Robin stopped and pointed an accusing finger. "We know who you are, and what you want."

"So let's end this." Kaldur finished.

Twister's head titled back. "Consider it ended."

Two twisters rose up from his palms, arching forward into the sky and forming together. The entire area around them began to swirl, the sky suddenly darkening as a chilling gust billowed past, and Elliot shifted, nervously drumming her fingers along her belt as her board began to hum. Kaldur shook his head. "An impressive show, but we will not engage!"

The hair rose on the back of her neck as bolts of lighting struck down, and the swirling vortex around them began to swell. Robin stiffened and Wally blinked. "Uh, can Red Tornado do that?"

"You think I'm Red Tornado?"

"Crap," Elliot's eyes widened and she reached into her belt, a sterling silver ball in her hand. "Guys get down—"

"How ironic."

Elliot flung the silver ball outwards, the small sphere morphing into a larger fist size as a bolt of lightning shot down, splitting the ground beneath them as they toppled to the floor. The silver ball flickered, the pure silver metal attracting the electricity and forcing the main power of it to conduct through the sphere, crackling around it as it landed onto the floor. Her head hit the ground with a jarring impact and Elliot winced, reaching up to her head. There was a tremor that went through the ground and Superboy appeared beside them, clods of dirt thrown up into the air from the force of his fall.

The crackle of electricity and ferocious bolts of lightning still littered the air and Elliot winced, fumbling through her belt to find another conductor when the stormy winds that once shot at them seemed to cease. Elliot paused, glancing up to find that Twister was still looking down on them, but the electric pulses had stopped. Her brows furrowed until amber eyes caught her own and Elliot blinked as M'gann put a finger to her lips, and when Wally began to stir beside her she quickly placed a hand over his mouth.

"Fine then, I won't deny that you children have power." Twister's make-shift eyes seemed to narrow. "But playing hide and seek with you won't help me accomplish my goal. So stay concealed, and if you try and trump me again, I will show _no _mercy."

With that the android left, Elliot remaining still until Wally sat up. "What happened?"

"I placed the bioship between us." M'gann murmured, but a loud _crack _filled the air and bits of rock scattered as Superboy angrily beat his fist into the unfortunate boulder.

"And that's supposed to make it right?" He stood, marching forward, and Elliot shakily stood up as well, coming to stand slightly between the two as he narrowed his eyes. "You tricked us into thinking Twister was Red Tornado."

"She didn't know," Elliot straightened her back, chin titling upwards as Superboy glared at her, and she gazed back, eyes chips of gold.

"It was a rookie mistake," Robin agreed.

Wally slid his hands into his pockets and glanced to the side. "You should... hit the showers; we'll handle it from here." He nodded to Elliot and Robin and took off, sliding down his goggles and zooming past.

Superboy glanced over and narrowed his eyes. "And stay out of our way." With a leap he was off.

Elliot was silent for a moment before she tapped her boots together, the soles lighting up as her board zipped back to her and hovered slightly above the ground. The end extended and Robin slid on. The messy hair girl paused, looking to the side awkwardly—god, she was terrible at this, wasn't she? All those parties she had to attend to put up a farce for Bruce Wayne and she never did develop any good social skills.

Elliot rubbed the back of her neck and then laid her hand on M'gann's shoulder, her eyes softening before she hopped onto her board and she and Robin took off, following after the rest of the team.

Well, if they still counted as one.

* * *

><p>The sky was beautiful, really.<p>

Clouds gently trailing over one another across the gentle peachy pink shade, darkening to a cloudless violet as the sky began to darken with the coming evening. The sun was setting beyond the harbor, boats lining the shore as the sea looked outwards, endless. If she could, Elliot would have stopped and taken a picture.

But a boat was roughly picked up from the harbor and tossed nearly fifty feet into the air, swirling wildly with the force of the twister before it touched ground, slamming into a nearby townhouse and splintering the roof.

_And this won't get us anywhere. _Elliot rode around on her board, tossing her sticky wads of metal—she'd affectionately dubbed them stickers, and let them splatter along the floor, explosion rocketing from them. But with every explosion came a new tornado that wiped it away, leaving her running low and dodging pieces of stray debris flying out from the free for all going on in front of her.

She ducked behind a fallen stone wall, looking around wildly for pieces of metal she could use. A few poles jutted from the ground and she sprinted forward, picking up a motor blade and a pole before rolling for cover behind a house. Elliot prepared to make a makeshift spear of some sort when a dark shadow fell over and she turned her eyes upwards, widening at the approaching fall of a motor boat.

The roof caved and she rolled, sprinting to get out of the collision when firm hands grasped her, picking her up from the ground before she knew what was happening. The wind snapped her ponytail back, strands falling into her face as she clutched onto to the cotton shirt, her head turning upwards as Wally grinned, running a wide circle around Twister and away from the debris. "Second time already? We should make this a tradition."

"Don't get too used to it," Elliot narrowed her eyes, trying to distinguish Twister amidst the blur of things passing by and she reached into her belt, shuffling through and retrieving the pieces she was working on before. Wally set them down behind a fallen statue, Robin peeking around the corner as he grasped his utility belt, putting it on.

"You brought your utility belt?" Wally said incredulously, and Robin arched a brow.

"Never leave home without it. First lesson Batman ever taught me."

"Yeah, like never go to the bathroom without it—"

"It tends to come in handy," Elliot spoke up, and Wally rolled his eyes, knowing her tool belt was on her no matter where she went. Her hands grasped a welding tool and she set the flame against the motor blade, softening the metal and turning it so it would sharpen into a better shape. "What's the plan?"

"_Everyone listen to me." _Elliot stiffened, wincing at the sudden intrusion as Miss Martian's voice rang through. _"All of you."_

"_What did we tell you—" _She heard Superboy start until M'gann cut him off.

"_I know. And I know I messed up. But now I'm very clear on what we need to do. Please, trust me."_

Elliot paused for a brief second before she thought back. _"What do you want us to do?"_

* * *

><p><em>Ten.<em>

Elliot waited, fingers waiting as she rolled the small balls between her fingers, golden eyes flashing back and forth as 'Red Tornado' faced off against Mr. Twister.

_Nine._

The idea was rather brilliant, really. And despite her happy smiles and quick-to-please nature, Miss Martian knew what she was doing when she meant it.

_Eight._

The spear she made minutes ago was sent into place, knocked into the ground as Red and Twister faced off, powers clashing and nullifying each other out.

_Seven._

Then Red was down, Twister lowered his hand, prepared to do whatever mal intent he carried towards the other android when Miss Martian revealed herself, eyes glittering.

_Six._

Then Wally sent the Android flying, Superboy leaping in and colliding his fist straight through the metal armor, oil and gears scattering.

_Five._

She stepped out from the statue, reeling her arm back as Twister fell into the water, receiving the attack from Aqualad until he was flown into the air and back onto the ground.

_Four._

Twister staggered, bolts flying off of him wildly as he spun around, trying in vain to attack.

_Three._

Elliot began pushed off on her board, riding closer and closer as he staggered.

_Two._

The balls from her hand began to hum, the presence of electricity in the air going mad as Twister backed up against the spear lodged into the ground.

_One._

Elliot let the balls fly, the balls of copper snapping and reacting in place as the buzz of energy filled the air. A magnetic field appeared around Twister, sending a vicious shockwave throughout the android. Smoke began to trail and an arm popped off as Miss Martian brought him into the air.

Robin dashed out beside her, flinging bombs out and watching as the remaining arm fell off, smoke and metal flying in all directions as Miss Martian finally slammed the body to the ground where it remained still, crackles of electricity coming off from it. The doors to the chest suddenly flew open and an older man fell out and onto the ground, slamming face first onto the floor as he struggled to stand. "F-Foul, I call foul."

M'gann raised her hand upwards, and Elliot blink as a boulder lifted up from the ground and above her head. Realization shot through and her eyes widened, mouth opening to shout only seconds to late as the rock came slamming down. Wally recoiled and Robin stiffened in disbelief beside her, looks of shock flickering over their faces until the raven haired boy marched forward.

"I don't know how things are done on Mars, but on Earth, we don't execute our captives!"

"You said you trust me," M'gann allowed herself a small, dainty smirk as she lifted the rock upwards, revealing shattered remains of a robot, gears and wires littering the ground and Elliot blinked. "That's why I couldn't read his mind."

Elliot whistled, tightening her pony tail as Wally stepped forward, bending down and swiping a part before he raised an eyeball upwards. "Cool, souvenir."

"We should have put more faith in you," Kaldur nodded his head towards M'gann. "You did well."

Golden eyes softened, but Elliot turned her head, not sure if there was anything to say really as M'gann smiled. Wally quickly praised the Martian as well, pocketing the eye he'd picked up.

Souvenir...

_Ahah. _"Hey guys, get together for a second!"

M'gann and Superboy looked confused, realization seemed to dawn on Kaldur as Robin and Wally already moved to stand beside each other as Elliot shuffled through her belt, pulling out a camera. M'gann's eyes lit up at the sight. "We're taking a picture?"

"Again?" Superboy frowned and Elliot simply grinned, glancing to the group and then adjusting the camera.

"Of course," she set the timer and jogged over, slipping in between the open space between Kid Flash and Robin. M'gann suddenly flew over, throwing her arms around Elliot's neck and near toppling the girl over until she steadied herself. "We have to keep making memories, don't we?"

"I suppose it will be nice to look back on one day," Kaldur said finally, as if seeing some reason to this and Elliot rolled her eyes.

"Sure, sure, now say 'Twister'!"

A second and then the unified call went out, save for a disgruntled Superboy who looked appalled by the very notion of saying such a thing. A flash shot out and Elliot slipped from the group, taking the photo that left the camera and flapping it in the air for a moment before glancing down, a smile on her face.

Their mouths all formed an odd shape from the word, except for Superboy who looked disgusted for a moment. The others peeked over her shoulder and she smiled, slipping her hand into her belt and pulling out a pen. She flipped the photo and scrawled _'First Team Bonding' _and beamed.

"That's a keeper."

* * *

><p><strong>Once again, thank you guys for taking the time out to read my story! It means a lot, and it's really nice to see that you all like it so far. :)<strong>

**Some requests have been made to have more revealed about Elliot's background story, and all will come in due time, I promise. But for now, I hope you're all enjoying our clueless mechanic. :D Thank you all for taking the time to read, and I hope you've all enjoyed!**

**THANKS FOR READING AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

**Marshmellow-**

**-OUT!**


	3. where there is unity there is victory

**Thank you all for your kind reviews! You guys are too great. :)**

**I do not own Young Justice.**

* * *

><p><strong>Veni Mecum<strong>

Chapter Three:

"_Ubi concordia, ibi victoria."_

_._

_._

_._

"Where there is unity, there is the victory."

* * *

><p>"I'm so <em>bored.<em>"

Elliot paused, looking up from the lock she'd been welding together to where Wally sat, leaning with his chin on the countertop, a sad, forlorn look on his face as he sighed dramatically.

"Risking your life and beating bad guys not enough for you?" Robin quipped, typing away at his laptop from where he sat on the couch, Elliot propped up on the floor against his legs.

"We're always just _waiting_ for new missions," Wally rubbed his head of ginger-red locks, brows furrowing. "Why can't we just... do something fun for once? Head down to the beach, scout for bikini babes..."

"Trying this new hacking program," Robin replied breezily, not even looking up from his computer.

"You'd rather mess around with a _computer _than go look at hot chicks?"

"They _are _easier to understand." Robin looked thoughtful. "And hack."

Elliot promptly titled her head back, halfway closing Robin's screen. The boy wonder rolled his eyes, lifting the screen back up. "Most of them anyway."

"I heard M'gann made some brownies earlier," Elliot smiled proudly when the metal curved; forming the right shape she needed to match the key she'd made. "You could always just sit and eat."

"Already did," Wally sighed ruefully, patting his stomach and then craning his head, emerald eyes narrowing at Elliot thoughtfully. "What are you doing today, sweetheart?"

Elliot paused for a split second before continuing her locksmith work. "Finishing up some projects, fairly busy stu—"

"So...nothing," Wally clarified, beaming at the idea as he sat up straighter, zeroing in on the girl across the room. Elliot suddenly wondered what it would take to build an invisibility cloak as she felt Wally's eyes bore into the back of her head. "Since you're not busy and I'm not busy..."

Elliot quietly went back to work and Wally snapped his fingers. "Let's go on a date then!"

The golden-eyed girl silently slid the key into the lock, frowning when it didn't click. Robin snorted and Wally deflated slightly at the lack of reply. "Wanna scout for babes with me?"

"Don't exactly swing that way," Elliot said absently, gently fiddling with the lock to adjust the gears inside. Wally perked up, he was getting somewhere.

"We can just hang out, take a run—_stroll_, down the pier."

The gears clicked and Elliot reached for the key once more, hesitating for a moment before she replied. "That _does _sound nice, but I'm alright—why don't you ask M'gann?"

"Oh, I would," Wally sighed, slumping against the countertop. "But apparently she's out looking for more... earthly things with her Uncle."

The common room went quiet, save for the constant tapping of Robin's fingers across the keys, and Elliot gently chipping at the metal, smoothing it over just right. Wally narrowed his eyes, biting his cheek until his eyes sparkled, this had to work.

"We can go look for good places to eat."

The key slid perfectly into place, successfully unlocking the lock and Elliot blinked, looking thoughtful as she stared at the floor. Wally grinned, emerald eyes grinning brightly as he mentally cheered. Robin smirked, leaning back against the couch as Elliot paused before turning over so she could face Wally.

"Like where?"

Hook, line, and sinker.

* * *

><p>"I heard this place makes the best ice cream," Wally practically ran forward, walking as slow as possible—which was a very fast, hurried strut—dragging Elliot along after him as he grinned brightly.<p>

Decked out in their civvies, Elliot nodded, her eyes flickering beneath her dark aviators and looking around the fairly busy streets and piers surrounding Happy Harbor, bustling people and small boutiques.

It was very...happy.

Fitting.

"Here!" Elliot nearly stumbled into the speedster's back and she blinked, turning her head upwards and taking in the sign 'Leo's Ice Cream' with a large cartoon lion roaring beside it. Wally beamed, Elliot blinked, and the red head quickly shoved the door open, grasping her hand and dragging her along inside.

A bell tinkled upon their arrival, and while Elliot loved ice cream herself, she was surprised to see that the shop seemed to be rather busy, the tables and booths full and people chatting amiably as a gentle air condition ventilated through the shop. Wally was practically bouncing on spot as she rolled her eyes, walking closer as they peered through all the flavors.

"What can I get you?" She glanced up and the rather young boy across the counter blinked, he looked to be around their age actually. Soft blonde locks framed a slightly tanned face, dark gray eyes, and a fairly average looking fellow save for the slightly sharper features he had. He looked surprised for a moment opening his mouth before closing it and he glanced to the side. "Uh, b-but take your time first."

"What do you recommend?" Elliot tipped down her darkened aviators; apparently wearing goggles all the time would look weird, as she examined the assorted variety of flavors.

The teen across the counter blushed slightly, gazing at her golden eyes before looking away and clearing his throat. "W-Well, we have classic flavors, and we're also known for our Happy Harberry, there are some new flavors over here as well."

Elliot hummed, a small smile turning upwards on her lips while beside her Wally practically plastered his face against the glass, childishly peering through all the flavors with unrestrained awe. "I'll take a double cone, vanilla and the Happy Harberry please."

"'Course," he quickly nodded, and Elliot smiled, the tip of his ears peeked red under blonde curls, but before he could open his mouth to say anything more Wally shot up.

"I'll take one of everything!"

The teen paused, glancing to a grinning Wally, then back to a smiling Elliot, the two shoulder to shoulder, and his gaze dipped downwards and noticed the still conjoined hands. His shoulders slumped and he rubbed the back of his neck, glancing aside. "Coming right up..."

Elliot blinked, frowning at his sudden drop in demeanor. Wally simply grinned, eagerly bouncing his leg up and down. A cone slid over the top, the blonde teen glancing to the side as Elliot took the cone, offering a bright smile.

"Thanks... Drew." The teen looked up, startled, then down to his nametag. A blush dusted his cheeks and he nodded, smiling slightly as he set to work on Wally's monstrous order.

"Don't mention it."

"Thwis ish gwood," Elliot shut her eyes, sighing blissfully at the assault of sweet, creamy flavors in her mouth.

Wally grinned excitedly, beaming proudly as he began to shovel the frozen treat into his mouth. "Wight? Whuf did I say?"

Elliot rolled her eyes, but unable to hide her bright smile she continued to eat her cone as Wally devoured his in record time, inhaling his food faster than air. Far to used to the sight, Elliot turned her gaze sideways, watching as a group of children ran down the pier, screaming and laughing as parents followed behind.

"Do you think I'm not ready?"

Wally blinked, mouth halfway full and dripping chocolate from the corner. "For whuf?"

"Missions." She already confided with Robin about the thought, and the boy wonder had simply stared at her for a moment before tossing her a staff and charging at her. Though it had ended with her butt on the ground, he'd offered his hand and grinned, the only answer she needed.

But the lingering doubts tempted to grow in the back of her mind. She _knew_, in simple terms of facts and not arrogance, that she could hold her own fairly well, she knew what she was doing. Batman seemed to agree if he allowed her to partake in these missions, but she couldn't shake off the strange chill that ran down her spine at the idea that maybe..._maybe_, it'd be her fault something went wrong. Her inability to finish off her part would take them all down.

_Am I afraid of failing? _Elliot frowned, looking thoughtful. _Or failing them?_

"I don't see why not," Wally shoveled down a few more spoons, swallowing loudly before he continued. "Don't tell me what Speedy said actually got to you—"

"No, I'm just being insecure," Elliot sighed, tilting her head back and looking upwards. "I keep wondering about what would happen if I failed—"

"Then I'd help you."

Elliot glanced to her red haired friend, dark green, mossy like the forest but somehow shiny like emeralds gazed at her for a brief moment of seriousness before they brightened just like that. "_We'd _help you—that's what a teams for. You help each other out, no one left behind."

"That's coming from the guy who runs faster than the speed of sound," Elliot mused, and Wally shrugged, grinning brightly.

"We're all going to mess up, well, except for me maybe, but we'll have each other to back us up. There's nothing to worry about." Elliot gazed at her friend in slightly mystified awe as Wally gathered up the lasts bit of his ice cream and slipped it into his mouth. "Besides, you're one heck of fighter anyway; I'd trust you to watch my back any day."

"Wally."

"Hmm?"

"You say some really cool things sometimes."

"Sometimes? Don't you mean _all _the time?" Wally smirked, the chocolate stain on the corner of his lips turning upwards. "And if you _really _want to hear some cool things, how about you and I—"

"You've got chocolate on your face."

"—we should—wait, what?" Elliot held up her spoon and Wally gazed back at his reflection, deflating at the circle of ice cream flavors around his mouth. "Aw, man..."

She felt a lot better now.

* * *

><p>"Drop Zone B, approaching."<p>

Elliot stood as the chairs beneath them dispersed back into the ship, hooks lowering down. Elliot pressed the button that turned the final piece of dark gray to her outfit black instead, entering stealth mode as she clipped the hook to her belt. Wally pressed his button and grinned, turning to the girl beside him with a smirk. "Is this cool or what?"

"What." Elliot answered, causing Wally to pout as M'gann smiled, changing her attire as well.

"You know Supe; it isn't too late for you to get in on this stealth gear stuff too." Wally added, arching his brows and grinning while Superboy crossed his arms over his chest firmly.

"No thanks. No tights. No capes. I don't do monkey suites."

"It _totally _works for you," M'gann murmured, and Superboy turned, blinking at her as she seemed to snap herself out of her daze. "I mean that you could totally do good work in those clothes."

Superboy stared and Miss Martian silently slipped her hood over herself, going invisible on them. Elliot smiled, turning around and facing Superboy. "You look good."

The black haired clone was silent, but his brow arched slightly. "Thanks."

"Aw, come on!" Elliot winced as Wally looked at her in disbelief. "_He _gets a compliment and I don't?"

"Preparing drop." Elliot rolled her eyes and reached over, clicking Wally's line for him as Miss Martian touched the controls to the ship. "Go."

The floor before them opened and Elliot was falling, her hair whipped back behind her as the ground came, fast approaching. She bent her knees and the line slowed as they all landed safely, unhooking themselves before realization struck and they toppled out of the way as Superboy slammed down. "Knew I didn't need a line."

"But creating a seismic hole doesn't exactly _help _with the _covert_," Robin said flatly, and Superboy simply blinked.

"Aqualad, drop B is a go."Miss Martian spoke into the comm. Robin lowered himself to the ground and projected the map of the forest as Aqualad spoke.

"Good, head to the factory. I'll meet with you there."

"Roger that." Robin stood and the team dispersed, traveling through the jungle in the cover of the night.

Elliot silently made her way through brush and undergrowth, Robin leaping trees above her as she ducked this way and that to remain out of possible sight. The moon struggled to shine through the fog of clouds, and the low chirps and hums of animals in the forest gave it an eerie, wild sort of feel as they skidded to a halt beside the thick of the jungle, just before it opened to a clearing.

Robin glanced to her and Elliot nodded, disappearing into the thick of the jungle as she lowered herself to the floor, pulling her goggles over her eyes. She quickly made a wide arch around, keeping to the foliage as she shuffled through her pockets, cradling a metal contraption in her hand as she opened it up.

Slowly, a small bird began to whirr to life, gears clicking as it rose up in the palm of her hand, tilting and cocking its head to the side as its eyes glowed red. Elliot smiled at her latest creation, flipping a switch and the bird took flight, disappearing into the jungle. A camera opened up on her forearm and she glanced down, an aerial view of the clearing reviewing two groups coming head on to meet each other.

_Speaking of groups..._ Elliot made her way around, growing closer to the clearing as she glanced from side to side. _Where's mine?_

The sudden sound of gunfire shot through the air and she nearly flinched, pressing close to the trees as the gunshots echoed throughout the forest. Her eyes narrowed and she made her way closer, glancing to her camera went her eyes went wide as a head of bright red hair tumbling into the ground, dead center between the two groups. "Uh, hi?"

Elliot punched in a key, speaking to the metal band on her wrist that connected to her aerial eyes. "Robin V.2, Code: Kid, _attack_."

Within seconds the wings along the bird sharpened, feathers now likes daggers as talons grew and the bird soared downwards and into the clearing, knocking several guns aside as Elliot ran forward to help. Gunfire rang out and she slid down the side, mud giving way beneath her as she leapt forward and tackled a hooded goon to the ground. Kid Flash zipped past her, swinging his fist upwards into another goon. "Nice to see you finally show up!"

"I thought we were following Robin!" Elliot ducked a blow and swung her foot forward. Robin V.2 dived downwards and grabbed the gun from an attacker's hands and Elliot quickly knocked him out.

"What is wrong with you guys?" Robin leapt downwards from the trees, knocking out another two and swinging his foot around in a roundhouse kick that knocked out another. "What part of _covert _do you not understand? Why didn't you follow my lead? Vanish into the jungle!"

Kid ran forward, a volley of punches thrown and knocking a guy aside as Elliot arched over him and slammed into another one. "That's what you were doing? We're not all mind readers you know!"

Another two bodies soared over Elliot's head and Miss Martian appeared. Kid blinked. "Well, I'm not anyway."

"You told me I could only read the bad guys' minds." Miss Martian pointed out, and Elliot raised her arm, her bird making a wide arc and coming to perch on her wrist, retracting talons and blades. There was a shuffle and a scurry of footsteps and Robin turned, prepared to strike when Aqualad lunged forward, knocking the hooded man out.

Kid turned, blinking at the metallic bird perched on Elliot's shoulder. "And since when did you have a bird?"

"I finally finished him yesterday," Elliot smiled proudly. "R.V.2."

"R.V.2...what does that mean?" Miss Martian inquired and Elliot blinked, laughing slightly as she glanced to the side.

"Don't worry about it..."

* * *

><p>"I recognize these uniforms; these guys belong to the cult of the Kobra." Robin explained, Kaldur's eyes narrowed and Elliot shifted, picking up the name.<p>

"I am certain Batman would have told us if he knew a dangerous extremist was running Santa Prisca's venom operation." Kaldur frowned.

"Agreed. And since there's clearly no love lost between the cultists and the goons, I'm betting Kobra came in and tossed them out." Robin deducted, crossing his arms over his chest. "_That's _why normal supply lines have been cut off."

"We get it, Kobra wanted, super cultist." Wally turned to Kaldur. "Radio Bats and we'll be home in time for—"

"These cultists aren't _on _venom, Kobra's hoarding this stuff." Robin corrected.

"And the question is why..." Elliot ran a hand down the smooth metal of the bird and it chirped, tilting its head. Superboy eyed the animal with unrestrained curiosity, and she let it flap off, coming to perch on his shoulder.

"And I need to know why." Robin finished. Elliot paused at that and Wally leaned forward, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"This team needs a leader."

"And it's _you_?" Wally stepped forward, Robin tilting his chin up as his eyes narrowed behind his mask. "Dude, you're a thirteen-year-old kid who ducked out on us without a word."

"And you're a mature fifteen?" Robin cackled, shaking his head. "You blew our cover first chance you got!"

"Do you wish to lead as well, Mecha?" The dark haired girl blinked, in the middle of tightening a scrunchie around her pony tail.

"Me?" Kaldur nodded and Elliot grinned, shaking her head, hair whipping back and forth with the motion. "Nah, a little too much work for me. I'm better with machines instead of people to be honest."

"Yeah? You don't even have superpowers!"

"Neither does Batman!"

Her Robin V.2 chirped on Superboy's shoulder, the boy's brows furrowed slightly in concentration before a small smile touched his lips. Elliot paused, following his eyes to the goons tied up around the tree. She eyed them for a moment,

"Uh, you're _not_ Batman."

"_Chuh_, closest thing we got!"

"Mecha!" She jumped at the unison cry of her name, turning her head warily as Robin and Wally both gazed hard at her. "Who do you think would be better at leading this team?"

"Um... right now?" Golden eyes blinked warily as her two friends pressed forward, gazes narrowed.

"She'd obviously choose me, I'm older, and she _knows _that I could probably do way better than you!"

"Are you joking? I've known her for _five _years, you've known her for what, three? She _knows _I'm the better choice, she's trained with Batman too!"

"Well, I—"

"She likes me better!" Wally blurted, and Robin rolled his eyes.

"Oh, _great _argument. _Who _remembered her birthday two years ago?"

"I did! I just remembered the wrong one..."

"And it was _your _idea to come up with the stupid day anyway! It's not even her real birthday!"

"You agreed to it when we were kids! She didn't even know her birthday!"

"You don't know you're birthday?" M'gann turned to Elliot with wide eyes and the girl blinked, shifting awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"I do _now_. It's just a long story."

"_Mecha_!" She flinched. "Who is—"

A deep throated chuckle suddenly cut the two off, and Elliot's eyes snapped to the tied up goon, the biggest out of the rest of them, his face shades of black and white as he grinned. "Such clever kids. But you only know half the story. Let me show you the rest, get you into the factory, via my secret entrance."

Miss Martian narrowed her eyes. "There _is _a secret entrance, but he's also hiding something." Her eyes began to glow as she entered the other man's psych, and the other man grinned, eyes narrowing.

"Ah, ah, ah, _chica. _Bane is not that easy."

"Ugh, he's reciting football scores...in _espanol_." Miss Martian frowned, turning back to her team. "This could take awhile."

"It's not complicated. The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Bane grinned wickedly; Elliot's eyes narrowed flatly, all traces of friendliness gone from golden irises. The boys glanced to each other, looking thoughtful, and she leaned over on her tip toes to reach Superboy's shoulder where her bird sat, cocking its head her way.

"R.V.2, Code: Guard Dog, _attack when triggered._"

Robin V.2's eyes glowed red and the bird chirped. Superboy blinked in mild surprise at the change and turned to Elliot.

"Can you make me one too?"

* * *

><p>The sounds of the jungle echoed around them as Bane lead them to a cliff. Robin and Kid peered over the edge while Elliot kept an eye on the masked man, R.V.2 circling overhead. Robin put a pair of binoculars to his head and grinned. "Look at all that product... A buy <em>is <em>going down. But if Kobra's not selling to the usual suspects then..."

"We need to identify that buyer." Kaldur finalized, and Wally stood back up.

"Just what I was thinking."

Robin snorted at that. "Yeah, you're the thinker."

"Sarcasm, dude? Really? A _real _leader would focus on getting answers."

Bane heaved, lifting up a boulder and turning it aside with ease. A tunnel, dimly lit through a series of lanterns showed the way, and Elliot narrowed her eyes as he smirked. "Answers are this way."

Bane began to make his way through the tunnel, the team following after warily as Kid rolled his eyes. "Now el luchador is our leader." Robin elbowed the speedster and continued walking, Elliot rolling her eyes and whistling as R.V.2 flew back, coming to a soft landing atop Superboy's shoulder.

"I think he likes you," Miss Martian smiled as they trekked through the tunnel, and Superboy turned his head, raising a hand and patting the bird on the head as it cooed softly.

"Huh," Elliot blinked, looking thoughtful. "Didn't think I could actually program him to...well, feel."

"This way." Bane pressed a button and a door slid open, allowing them to trek through a final tunnel till a wooden door was all that stood in their way. The whir and hum of machines reached her ears and Elliot waited as Bane carefully glanced outside, Robin peeking his head through as they scouted the floor.

"All clear." He ran forward and the rest followed.

Elliot glanced upwards, catching sight of a fluttering cape as Bane scowled. "Has the little fool already been caught?"

"No." Kaldur sighed. "He just does that."

"He's smarter than that." Elliot added, glancing sharply at Bane as he smirked. Kid suddenly perked up and slid his goggles down, grinning brightly.

"Stay put, I'll get the intel before the boy wonder!"

"Wait, Kid—"

Within seconds Kid Flash was off, and Kaldur sighed, turning his head as Bane scoffed. "Great chain of command."

"Then Mecha, you should be able—" Kaldur paused, realizing the messy haired girl had disappeared. "Mecha?"

R.V.2 chirped on Superboy's shoulder and the clone sighed.

"You said it."

* * *

><p><em>Dick and Wally will probably be in the computer room. <em>Elliot set the work, smirking slightly to herself as several screws went loose and she pocketed them. The machines before her continued to hum, working fine as she slowly went about, loosening screws and popping bolts as she went along the machines. _With this, when it's time to blow..._

There was a loud crash and Elliot ducked beneath a machine as dust scattered and shots began to fire wildly, a loud, furious roar echoing throughout the factory. Elliot blinked. _A roar?_

She rolled to the side and glanced out, spotting Kaldur, Superboy—a man went flying—she assumed Miss Martian as well. Elliot pursed her lips and blew out a tune and R.V.2, flying circles overhead banked sharply, feather sharpening and talons growing as it dived downwards. Elliot pulled out a small ball and rolled it out intro the fray.

The tiny sphere exploded, smoke scattering in all directions and she ran forward, ducking down and swiping out a cult member's feet and slamming her foot against his head. She heard Superboy cry out in anger and R.V.2 banked downwards, wings hardening as it barreled past and sliced through the rampaging monster tackling Superboy.

Guns went off and Elliot quickly kept moving, ducking in and out of the smoke to avoid fire. Three figures appeared in her line of vision and she hit the ground, stilling for a moment as they grew near until she lunged. The first one went down easy, her knee slamming into his gut as she brought her elbow down on his head. But before she could turn a fist connected with her cheek and she winced, taking a step back before she swung around and tossed her fist upwards, hearing a _crack_—yup, definitely broken—as the man howled, staggering backwards.

She swiped her foot outwards, another man fell and she lunged, slamming her knee hard into his chest before she toppled out of the way as the cover of smoke disappeared. She hissed when something nicked her shoulder, a blinding pain following for the briefest moment before it subsided to a dull ache.

Her eyes shot upwards and she caught the flash of Robin's cape as he disappeared around the walkway. Her brows furrowed, but before she could follow after a batarang zipped past her, flying just over her head and knocking back the man that'd snuck up behind her.

Well then.

A blur shot past her and Elliot flung out several disks, the hard metal knocking guns from hands as R.V.2 swung down and scratched faces, sharpened talons digging in with deadly accuracy. A man lunged, bringing a gun down on her head when Kid appeared, slamming into him and knocking him aside. The red head flashed her a blinding grin, his chest heaving. "How you doing, gorgeous?"

"Been better," Elliot yanked him out of the line of fire, the two taking cover beneath one of the large metal poles. "Where's Robin?"

"He was just—" Kid blinked and groaned, rubbing his head. "Never mind."

Kaldur pressed himself to a pole beside them, glancing to them before he opened his mouth. "Miss Martian, radio's down, link us up!"

There was a brief pause and Elliot felt her mind open up, like windows being cracked open. _"Everyone online?"_

"_Yeah." _Superboy muttered.

"_You know it beautiful—Mecha, did you get shot?" _Kid's hands moved to her shoulder and she shrugged him off, glancing from side to side.

"_Ye—no. No, I didn't."_

"_Yes you did! You're bleeding!"_

"_Oh. Um, well, I guess I got... scraped?"_

"_You did get shot! We need to get you out and—"_

"_I'll be—stop it! We need to finish the mission—"_

"_Oh, and let you bleed to death?"_

"_I can handle one bullet."_

"_One bullet is all it takes!"_

"_...don't make me hit you with my wrench." _Narrowing her eyes at a equally stubborn speedster she turned her head._"Robin? Where—"_

"_We need to regroup." _Aqualad cut in.

"_Busy now." _Robin's thoughts chimed back, and Elliot shook her head, brows furrowing when she let out a sudden screech of pain.

"_Mecha?" _Robin's voice cut back in again, followed by Miss Martian's hurried. _Are you alright?_

"_Kid!" _Elliot whirled around, glaring daggers at the boy as she jerked her shoulder—_ouch_, bad move—out of his grasp and nearly took a step back had it not been for the constant volley of bullets being shot at them. _"Don't just grab my shoulder—"_

"_You _did _get shot!_" Kid accused, his mossy green irises clouded with worry as his hands reached for her shoulder again. _"Are you alright? Jesus, we need to get this fixed—"_

"_I'm fine." _Elliot thought back tersely, narrowing her eyes into golden slits as she shook her head firmly. _"It went right through, see? I'll handle it in a second."_

"_A second? Do you want to start bleeding to death? We need to close it up and—"_

"_Do you think you can move?" _Kaldur cut in, voice clear and calm through the hurried thoughts and Elliot nodded towards him. _"Alright. Robin, now!"_

Elliot felt the grimace Robin must have made and suddenly he was running, making his way back towards them as Kaldur ducked out from behind the pillar and lashed out with his whips. _"We need to retreat, Kid, clear a path."_

"_On it." _With a final worried glance towards Elliot he sped off, slamming into countless cultists and knocking them into the ground as the rest of them quickly followed after him and through the door.

Elliot winced at the jarring pain to her shoulder, whistling weakly as R.V.2 ducked downwards and folded in his wings, coming to perch on her good shoulder as she slipped through the door. Superboy followed shortly after, lifting the metal door and shifting it into place as they ran down the tunnel.

There was a _crash _shortly after and gun shots rang out after them, bullets zipping past their heads as they made a mad dash down the dimly lit tunnels. "Superboy, the support beams! Kid—take Mecha!"

Elliot opened her mouth to protest but Kid was suddenly beside her, scooping her into his arms as they shot down the tunnel, Superboy shattering the wooden posts behind them. The walls around them began to crumble and Kid glanced down to her, grinning faintly.

"This really _is _becoming a habit now, isn't it?"

"Don't remind me."

When the rumbling behind them ceased, the group came to a gentle halt, glancing backwards to the wall of rubble behind them. Elliot nudged Kid, and with a final glance he set her down, hands hovering for a moment until she waved him off. Miss Martian came over, offering a ripped piece of cloth and Elliot paused before extending her arm after Kid's pointed look. Miss Martian smiled softly, beginning the process. "I'm not very good, so I hope you can bear with me."

"That's fine." Elliot was silent as Miss Martian began to tighten it. A gentle memory of her, Dick, and Bruce sitting in the Bat Cave, Alfred away on a break as they wrapped each other's wounds after a particular patrol flashed through her mind and she smiled. "Better than doing it myself."

"How's that?" Miss Martian offered her a small smile and Elliot nodded, smiling faintly in return as she rolled her shoulder, wincing at the sharp pain.

"It's fine, thank you." Kid hovered at her side and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm not going to bleed to death, calm down."

"You just got _shot_," Kid replied, rolling his eyes at her in return as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Am I not allowed to worry?"

"Yes."

"Well suck it up, I _am_."

Robin gazed at Elliot for a moment before looking forward at the cave wall before them. Elliot gazed at his back, small shoulders, slim despite his lithe build. And even though she'd known him for so long, she could never imagine the thoughts running through his head. "How could my first mission as leader go so wrong?"

"It didn't," Elliot murmured quietly.

Kaldur looked thoughtful as he set down the glow sticks, a red light illuminating their faces and casting shadows behind them. "You have the most experience out of all of us, but perhaps that is also what has left you unprepared. Fighting alongside Batman, your roles are...defined. There is no need to communicate between you two, and while Mecha may be able to catch on as well, this team _needs _to talk. And the leader must be clear, explicit, we cannot manage if he vanishes and expects others to follow."

"Oh, so I'm supposed to hold everyone's hands?" Robin snapped, but as soon as the words left his lips his shoulders dropped and his face slackened. "Who am I kidding? You should lead us Kaldur. You're the only one who can."

Elliot gazed at Robin for a moment in surprise, taking her friend's expression in carefully when Kid scoffed. "Please, I can run circles—"

"Wally, come on," Robin shook his head. "You know he's the one. We all do."

"Hello, Megan! It's so obvious."

"Could've told ya." Superboy added, and Wally's shoulders slumped as he sighed, smiling as he put his hands on his hips.

"Okay."

"Seems fine with me." Elliot finalized, standing gingerly and rubbing her shoulder before she moved to stand beside Robin, gazing at him for a heartbeat longer before she glanced aside, her fingers gently tightening around his behind their capes.

"Then I will accept this burden," Kaldur stepped forward, setting his hands on Robin's shoulders. "Until you are ready to take it. You were born to lead this team, maybe not now, but soon."

Robin nodded, and Elliot felt his fingers tighten around hers in return. Her gaze softened and she brushed her good shoulder against his before pulling away as Kaldur gazed at each one of them in turn. "Our first priority is preventing that shipment from leaving this island."

"Funny, I had the same thought."

"We may have to come up with something to keep them from leaving," Elliot shuffled through her belt, grasping the cool metal in her hands before she lifted her hand up for the team to see. They all gazed at her curiously until she opened her hands, letting an array of screws and bolts fall to the ground with dull thuds, a bright grin spreading on her face. "But I think they won't be making more anytime soon."

"Not bad." Superboy clapped her on the back and Elliot stiffened, the whole team growing silent as they watched her crumple slightly to the floor, biting her lower lip to keep from screaming in pain at the sudden burst of red hot aching that burst from her shoulder. "...sorry."

"..._ow_."

"Told you we should've gotten it fixed."

"Wally, I _will _throw my wrench at you."

* * *

><p>"Sportsmaster is definitely the buyersupplier, but it just doesn't add up. No way he'd have the juice to get his hands on the Blockbuster formula, or to get Kobra to do his dirty work." Robin commented, scrolling through his screen as they shot through the tunnels.

"And neither of them has the chops to bond Blockbuster with venom." Kid added. "That took some major nerdage."

"I believe the expression is," Kaldur paused as they came to a halt. "Tip of the ice burg."

Elliot nearly groaned as Bane appeared before them, a wicked grin on his face. Several vials of injections clattered to the floor, the sight of the needles making Elliot pale for a moment before she swallowed, turning her gaze upwards as golden irises hardened. "Halt, _niños_, I feel rather...explosive."

A soft beeping filled the air and Elliot cursed at the explosives rigged around the entrance. Kaldur's eyes narrowed. "You betrayed us, but...why?"

"I want my factory back."

"_Kid, get into a running start." _Beside her Wally shifted, slowly backing up. "So I forced you into a situation where you would either take down my enemy, or die trying. If the latter, the Justice League would certainly have come to avenge their sidekicks. And when they get this all cleared, Santa Prisca will be _mine _once more."

"_Superboy." _Superboy blinked, eyes flickering to Elliot. _"When Kid goes, pull a feather from R.V.2."_

"I figure blowing you up in the tunnel will do the job." There was a flash and Bane's hand was empty, his eyes widening as Kid smirked behind him.

"With what? This trigger thingy?"

Bane lunged and Superboy ripped a feather from R.V.2's wing. The red eyes flashed golden and the bird surged forward, slipping into attack mode and locking on its sole target as Bane lunged for Wally. Talons flashed across his face and he roared in pain, his feet rising from the ground as Miss Martian raised him upwards, hovering in the air.

Superboy smirked, stalking forward with a wide grin on his face. "Finally. Drop him."

Miss Martian smiled, letting the body drop as Superboy surged forward, his fist rising to connect with Bane.

_Bam._

* * *

><p>Elliot had felt satisfaction over many things before, completing a tedious, annoyingly complicated design for example, winning an argument against Roy, ice cream, making fun of Wally, all kinds of things.<p>

But there was really this great, fluttery feeling in her chest when a plan finally came together.

Elliot ducked and dived from a volley of gunshots, mindful of her shoulder as she leapt off and crate and slammed her boots into the head of one of the guns, swinging out with her right hand and slamming into the face of another. She whipped her staff from her pocket, the ends extending as she spun around and knocked out another one.

Kid Flash zipped in and out, slamming into bodies as Elliot's eyes locked onto where Robin kept Kobra busy. "Souvenir!"

"_Kid, can you clear me a path?"_

"_Yeah, but be—" _Her eyes narrowed and she ran forward, ducking and dodging stray bullets as took a running start and surged upwards, bring her pole down hard. _"—careful."_

"I don't think I've seen you before." Kobra's hand shot out, snatching her pole as Elliot's eyes widened. "Another bat perhaps?"

"You won't be seeing her again!" Robin flung out several bombs and Elliot leapt to the side, rolling over and wincing at the pain the flared up from her shoulder.

She glanced over and spotted Superboy being held off by Sportsmaster, Miss Martian in his chokehold as he backed onto the plane before tossing her aside, knocking her into the Kryptonian. The hatch pulled closed and a gust of wind scattered past them, a shout reached her ears and she ducked as a fist shot past her. A knee came up and Elliot wheezed as her lungs seemed to crumple for a moment before she flipped back, landing on her knee.

Robin ran up and lunged, swinging his foot around as Kobra ducked and shot forward. Elliot grabbed her fallen staff and ran, swinging it around over her head as she threw her weight into Kobra's side.

The chopper left the ground, taking off into the air for a moment before an explosion rocked the skies, the bottom cargo half giving way as the chopper spun, unsteady. Elliot eyed its range and whistled, knowing that in the factory, R.V.2 was zooming out through the exits as the pipes and standings began to buckle from the lack of foundation.

A sudden kick to the back knocked her flat onto her side and she groaned, cursing herself for not paying attention before she ducked under Robin's kick and swung her foot upwards, shoving Kobra back when he blocked Robin's attack. Kobra narrowed his eyes into slits, Elliot standing side by side with Robin until they lunged.

She moved to get in a hit as he ducked another of Robin's blows, but a firm hand clamped down on her wounded shoulder, _holy shit that hurt, that hurt, that _hurt. And Elliot bit down on her lip from crying out as he flung her aside, her back skidding across the ground.

Pain exploded in her side, running up along the left half of her body as she gasped, wheezing from the sudden ache her shoulder gave off. She heard Robin grunt and spotted Kobra slamming his foot down onto his chest. "I am plagued by mosquitoes."

"Good!" Robin ground out. "'Cause this mosquito's mighty concerted over your pain!"

Elliot tossed a sticker, the clumpy white metal plate landing on Kobra's chest and igniting an explosion. Robin swiped his foot and back flipped with a kind of grace she'd never have, and landed beside her as the team gathered around them, tensed and ready to fight.

Kobra narrowed his eyes before rising to his full height, stepping backwards as the shadows engulfed him. "Another time then."

Before a move could be made he disappeared into the thick foliage, Robin shot forward, sifting through the leaves only to find nothing but pitch black. There was a moment of silence before he turned, shaking his head.

The raging fire of the factory behind them lit up the clouded sky, stars barely shining through as they dotted the area. Elliot paused, looking up at the sky appreciatively as Robin stepped forward with a small smile on his face. "I couldn't have picked a better guy to lead us."

A window shattered and a new bout of flames ignited from the factory. Elliot winced, faintly recalling this was supposed to be a _recon _mission as Robin smirked at Kaldur. "Of course, automatically make _you _the one who has to explain this mess to Batman."

_Sucks. _Elliot's lips quirked upwards, her mind clicking suddenly as she shuffled through her pockets. "But before we complain about our imminent demise from Bats..."

The tousled haired girl grinned brightly as she brandished her camera. "One photo?"

"Are you kidding me?" Wally, for once the reasonable voice stepped forward, throwing his arms into the air as he jutted a finger towards the girl. "You're _bleeding_, actively suffering from a now open gun wound and you want to take a _picture_?"

Elliot hesitated, glancing to the side before she looked back at her friend. "...yes."

Wally opened his mouth to protest, worry clear on his face as he struggled to find some _way _to express to his sometimes thick headed friend that no, it was _not _okay to stop and take pictures while you were bleeding when he heard a shuffle behind him.

The rest of the team stood ready, the factory burning behind them as they grinned, Elliot beamed, setting the camera down on a knocked out goon and setting the timer. She grabbed Wally's hand and dragged him forward as he sighed, rolling his eyes before slinging an arm over her shoulder. She winced and the corners of his lips turned upwards until she stomped on his foot, his eyes growing wide as she grinned at the camera.

"Say Kobra!"

A flash shrouded them for a moment before a photo slid out. Elliot beamed, slipping from the group and showing it towards them.

They'd all managed to form a smile from the word this time, expect for Wally's face which had contorted in pain. The speedster let out a whine beside her and Robin smirked. "Now _that _is a keeper."

* * *

><p>"Are you still mad at me?"<p>

Wally shook his head, Elliot eyeing him thoughtfully from where she gently moved her shoulder around in its wrappings. The red head kept his back to her and she sighed, looking away thoughtfully as she leaned over the med bed to settle against his back.

"Sorry?"

"There's no need," Wally shrugged, sounding nonchalant. "The picture came out nice."

Elliot rolled her eyes, tempted to jump around and flail her arms just to spite him a little, but knowing she was _partially _at fault for making her friend worry she sighed instead, thinking of something that would cheer him up.

"Wanna go look at bikini babes?"

Wally's head turned slightly at the suggestion, but he quickly turned away. "Probably no hotties out at this hour."

Elliot hummed, looking thoughtful before she spoke again.

"Want me to model for you?"

"You'd do that?" Wally's head whipped around so fast she had to scoot back to avoid colliding with his forehead. Emerald eyes shone bright, his face suddenly _very _eager as he leaned over the bed. "For real?"

"No," he quickly deflated, but smiling Elliot patted his head, ruffling his red locks. "But I will treat you to ice cream instead."

There was a momentary pause before Wally stood, grinning brightly as he helped her up. "I knew I couldn't stay mad at you, sweetheart."

_At least I know how to get myself out of this next time. _Elliot's lips quirked upwards and she followed after Wally as they left the medical bay and made their way toward the zeta tubes.

Hook, line, and sinker.

* * *

><p><strong>You guys are such wonderful people. :)<strong>

**I'm glad so many of you are looking forward to this story and Elliot, and sticking through to see how it progresses. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed, it's really, really nice to see those alerts and just smile knowing people are enjoying what I write.**

**And while Wally gets some time this chapter, Roy will be making his own appearance next, so look forward to it! :D And while Wally is such a goofball, I can really picture him going kind of anal on people when they get hurt, he's just that great of a guy.**

**HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED! THANKS FOR READING. :)**

**Marshmellow-**

**-OUT!**


	4. always toward better things

**I do not own Young Justice.**

* * *

><p><strong>Veni Mecum<strong>

Chapter Four:

"_Semper ad meliora."_

_._

_._

_._

"Always towards better things."

* * *

><p>"To your left!"<p>

Elliot ducked, narrowly missing a bullet—oh she was _not _getting hit by one again as she toppled over and followed the head of flaming ginger before her. Roy bit out curses under his breath and grabbed her hand, jerking her forward as they ducked into an alleyway to escape their pursuers.

His eyes narrowed when they came face to face with a dead end, and the sound of hurried footsteps and metal guns echoed, coming closer and closer.

She sighed, turning around and bringing her fists close to her face, tensing her body and getting ready to snap forward once those goons turned the corner. If it was a fight they wanted then _fine_, it was a fight they'd get.

A firm hand came down on her hoodie and she nearly choked as Roy jerked her back, flattening her in front of him against the brick walls as they pressed themselves into the shadows. His hands on either side of her head, his body flattening her to the wall, and Elliot tried to inhale as softly as she could, but seeing as her face was shoved into his chest, that was getting kind of hard as well.

"Stay quiet," Roy muttered, his breath ghosting over her and she shifted, her own version of a nod due to their tight space as the footsteps grew closer.

To be honest, all she'd wanted was to just spend her day off hanging out if she couldn't be on a mission, but _no_, crime fighting just had to follow her around.

Well, maybe she _did _kind of look for it.

* * *

><p><em>Several hours earlier.<em>

A loud whirring sound shot out, signifying the loss, and Elliot beamed as Wally deflated, the holographic puck sliding down his chute.

"What can I say?" Elliot smiled, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm good with my hands."

"Cut me some slack here," Wally pouted, waving around his half eaten banana. "I'm playing with one hand."

"You only _need _one hand to play, dude." Robin snickered, and Wally frowned, taking a bite from his snack.

Waiting for the next mission deployment, and for the return of their other member, the Team had found some entertainment playing the air hockey game programmed into the computer. Though it seemed to be one of the only ones, they'd all taken turns until discovering Wally _was _rather good, but Elliot was managing to hold her own so far.

"Alright, if I win this," Wally waved his banana at her, emerald eyes sparkling as he grinned. "You have to go on a date with me."

Elliot looked thoughtful while Robin snickered. "I'd like to see you try and get approval from Batman."

Golden eyes flashed and Elliot grinned, Wally smirking as he lowered the puck. "Deal." Robin turned to her in surprise. "But if I win... You have to tell Superboy you think he's pretty."

Wally blinked, paling slightly at the idea. "W-Whatever you say, babe. You just pick a time and I'll be ready to pick you up for our date."

The puck slid out and Wally smacked it with lightning speed, Elliot's eyes growing wide as she barely managed to cover her goal, stuck on the defense as Wally rapidly sent the puck her way, smirking all the while. "How about—" _Slam. _"Tuesday?" _Slam._

"Oh, don't—" _Smack. _"Get ahead of yourself!" _Smack._

"_Recognized, Superboy, B04." _Elliot winced, wanting to look over but refusing to let her eyes leave the table for a second as footsteps echoed down the cave.

"Hi, Superboy," the footsteps grew nearer as M'gann spoke up. "How was Metropolis?"

Wally smacked the puck and Elliot's eyes widened in horror as it slid down the board, only to vanish seconds before hitting her goal as Superboy stalked past, eyes narrowed and a scowl in place. "Dude, Supey! You just totally messed up that win! I was about to score a date over here."

"Don't care."

Elliot breathed a sigh of relief as Wally pouted. "Thank you, Superboy."

"Ready to begin training?" A familiar voice rang through and Elliot turned, a small smile on her lips as Black Canary stepped into the center, Martian Manhunter alongside her.

M'gann perked up. "Black Canary. Uncle J'onn!" M'gann shot forward, wrapping her arms around her mentor, and Elliot turned her gaze sideways as Superboy watched the interaction before turning, prepared to take off.

"What's got you so screwed up tight?" Elliot inquired, stepping into his line of vision as Superboy scowled, turning his head.

"Not in the mood."

Elliot watched him for a moment before guessing. "Man of Steel running off again?"

Superboy stiffened, turning around with wide eyes before he slumped, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "Things didn't... They didn't go so well."

"If you ask me, I think Mr. Cla—Superman, just needs a little convincing." Elliot shrugged. "Kryptonians tend to be pretty hard headed."

Superboy's lips attempted to turn upward but he shook his head, stepping away and furrowing his brows. "I just want to be alone."

"Stick around." Superboy paused and Elliot turned, Dinah's eyes meeting hers briefly with a soft smile before she smirked at Superboy. "Class is in session."

Dinah stalked to the center of the room, the floor lighting up beneath her as she turned to address them all. "I consider it an honor to be your teacher. I'll throw a lot at you. Everything I've learned from my own mentors—" Dinah winced, slipping off her jacket and revealing a newly wrapped wound on her arm. "And my own experiences."

"What happened?" M'gann inquired, Elliot eyed the blonde before them thoughtfully and Dinah sighed.

"The job." Tossing aside her jacket she set her hands on her hips. "Now, combat is about controlling conflict, putting the battle on _your _terms. You should always be acting, never reacting." A smile touched her lips and Elliot took a careful step back. "I'll need a sparring partner."

"Right here!" Wally quickly raised his hand, grinning boyishly as he wolfed down the rest of his banana. "After this—_swish_, I'll show you my moves."

Elliot rolled her eyes, slipping her arms over her chest as Robin grinned beside her. Dinah's eyes glinted and she smirked, striking out with a punch that Wally managed to dodge, only to have his feet swiped out from under him as his back hit the floor.

"Oh... Hurts so good..."

"Good block." Dinah offered the speedster a hand. "But did anyone see what he did wrong?"

"He hit on the teacher and got served?" Robin offered. Elliot put a hand to her mouth, turning away as she tried to hold in her laughter as Wally shot them a look.

"Guys!"

"He allowed _me_ to dictate the terms of the—"

"Oh, please." Elliot glanced over to where Superboy frowned, brows furrowing as he gazed at the sparring session before him skeptically. "With my powers, the battle's always on my terms. I'm a living weapon, and this is a waste of time."

Instead of turning it into a lecture, Dinah simply smirked. "Prove it."

Superboy's eyes narrowed and he stalked forward, crossing his arms over his chest as a moment of silence filled the room.

Elliot shuffled, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. "I don't think this is—"

Within seconds Superboy lunged, only to have Dinah grab his arm and turn his weight against him, launching the clone into the air and slamming him into the ground. Elliot winced and Robin broke out into laughter beside her, a nudge from Kaldur forcing him to clasp his hands over his mouth to stifle the chuckles.

With a growl Superboy was up again and Dinah nodded. "You're angry, good—but don't react. Channel that anger into—"

Superboy lunged, releasing a primitive growl as he tackled Dinah, only to have himself tossed over her shoulder once more with ease. His back hit the ground and Robin stifled his laughter as Superboy stood. "That's it—I'm done."

Dinah stretched a hand out. "Training is mandatory."

But before the argument could escalate any further, a hologram screen appeared before them, and Elliot perked up at the sight of Batman's face as he addressed the team. "Batman to the Cave. Five hours ago, a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary. The attacker was capable of studying, then duplicating the powers and abilities of its opponents."

A screen appeared, offering them a visual of an android of sorts managing to take down Superman, the Flash, and various other League members as he adopted their skills. Elliot perked up, eyes already scanning the robotics and engineering needed to build such a thing as Batman continued. "Arrow called in reinforcements, which nearly proved disastrous as our foe gained more and more combat with each new combatant."

"One guy with the powers of the whole League?" Wally mumbled, and Elliot was silent as Batman swept on.

"In the end, it took eight Leaguers four hours to defeat and dismantle the android."

"An android?" Robin stepped forward. "Who made it, T.O. Morrow?"

_Reasonable. _Elliot frowned, analyzing what she could see of the schematics from this visual. "But it doesn't look like his normal work..."

"Good guess, Robin, and deduction, Mecha." Elliot smiled, but she barely caught the downwards glance Superboy shot to the floor at the silent praise, and she frowned. "But Red Tornado doesn't think so."

"The technology bears the signature of Professor Ivo." Manhunter explained, and Elliot turned sharply at that, all too familiar with the villain's works in robotics.

"Ivo? But Ivo's dead." Kaldur started, and Dinah sighed.

"So we all thought...or hoped."

"To make sure this threat is permanently neutralized, we're sending two trucks carrying the android's parts to two separate S.T.A.R Lab facilities in Boston and New York for immediate evaluation." A map appeared on screen, mapping out two separate routes. "Every precaution is being taken. We'll have four additional decoy trucks to create confusion in case Ivo, or anyone, attempts to recover the remains. You will split into undercover teams to safeguard the two real trucks."

"Yes!" Wally cheered. "Road trip."

"So now we take out your trash?" Superboy muttered, and Batman simply glanced to the other boy.

"You had something better to do?"

Elliot winced; wishing Superboy had at least figured picking a fight with Batman wouldn't have been the wisest choice. She reached outwards to offer him a word or two when Batman spoke up again. "Mecha, you will be remaining at base until further notice."

"Wait, what?" Elliot quickly shot her gaze upwards to her caretaker, and Batman's face was even as she blinked. "I'm not going on this mission?"

"You will remain at base for further deductions on the robot's makings. Your intelligence in the field will be needed when going over it with Red Tornado, so you will remain at the Cave until further orders."

"But—"

"Understood?"

Realizing there was no way out of this Elliot slumped, brows furrowing slightly as Robin laid a hand on her shoulder. "Crystal."

"Then move out." The screen closed and Elliot frowned, gazing down at the floor in slight disbelief and disappointment, but knowing better than to argue—if she had a job to do, then she'd have to do it.

A few members flashed her apologetic looks and she waved them off, offering a small smile. "Good luck guys, radio if you need anything, alright?"

"We will." M'gann promised, flashing her a bright smile and then taking off.

Robin touched her shoulder, tilting his head towards hers. "I'm sure he's got some reason—I promise you won't miss out on much."

"Kick some robot ass." Elliot sighed, offering her friend a warm smile as Robin's lips turned upwards and he took off after everyone else. She watched his black cape flutter behind him and she blinked as Wally shifted awkwardly for a moment. "What're you waiting for?"

"I'll bring you back a souvenir." Wally promised, offering her a boyish grin. "See you soon!"

Elliot smiled and the red head took off. She noticed the black shirt stalking from view and with a small smile she added. "Good luck, Supey!"

Superboy paused, glancing back to her as she simply grinned. The dark haired boy gave her a curt nod and took off. Within seconds the cave was empty once more, and Elliot found herself gazing at the towering walls until a voice spoke up.

"I'm sure he has his reasons." Dinah offered, and Elliot laughed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I'm sure—there's always something going on." Her eyes grew soft. "I'll just do what I can."

Dinah's eyes softened and the blonde woman paused, looking thoughtful as she glanced to the side and added suddenly. "You know, if you're free... You should pay Roy a visit."

"Roy?" Elliot turned to the blonde woman in faint surprise. "Is something wrong?"

"No, not particularly." Dinah crossed her arms over her chest. "He's just been rather bullheaded after the whole League business with Cadmus, and well, you know how he is."

_Don't we all. _Then again, she hadn't been over to Roy's place in awhile... Maybe a visit couldn't hurt, right? Elliot looked thoughtful as she gazed at her scuffed up boots. "I might swing by, thanks D—Auntie Dinah."

The blonde woman's face broke into a brilliant smile at the title and she clapped the girl on the shoulder, turning on her heel. "Don't mention it—if you find yourself with time on your hands, I'm always here to do some sparring as well."

"...I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

><p>"Good day, Alfred!"<p>

"Lady Elliot," Alfred held the door open, nodding his head as the girl stepped into the threshold, a bright smile on her face. "I did not expect you so early. Is Master Dick with you as well?"

"No, Dick's on a mission with the team," Elliot walked a few steps into the manor, never truly getting tired of the sight of the home she'd grown to know over the years.

"I see." Alfred gazed at the girl thoughtfully; her skateboard tucked under one arm, smile bright and cheerful. "I assume then that Master Bruce decided to leave you out of this one then, correct?"

Her eye twitched before she sighed. "Yeah, he told me to be on standby until they bring some parts back, but _I _personally think that I should be on this mission—there's a robot involved, a _robot._"

"Master Bruce has his reasons, I'm sure." Alfred set down a cup on the table beside her as Elliot gazed out the window for a moment, a faintly wistful look on her face. "Though I am surprised that you chose to head home first instead of elsewhere."

_Home. _"I figured I'd swing by and say hi." Elliot nodded her thanks and cradled the cup in her hands, watching the swirling dark liquid before her for a moment. "How are you doing today, Al?"

"Fine, thank you." The old friend of the Wayne manor inclined his head slightly. "And you?"

"Fine." She remembered when she'd first walked into the place. Fresh out of the hospital, dazed, frightened, skittish, her eyes darting from either nerves or the drugs that had been in her moments before as Bruce set a hand on her shoulder and Dick grabbed her hand, pulling her through and into a world she'd never seen before.

Warm, colorful, her first night she'd been unable to sleep because she was so unaccustomed to such a nice bed, and she'd kept tossing and turning until Dick slipped in and slept beside her. It'd been a habit Bruce frowned on at first, but they did it so often he left them be until they only did it when things were serious.

The memories that followed were bright and wonderful, some dreary and thoughtful, others sad and frightening, but she owed the house and the people in it so much, she could never ask for anything better.

"Do you need help with anything, Alfred? I'm not to busy, what's on your list to do?"

"Several things," Alfred admitted, and he tucked his hands together as he gazed at Elliot thoughtfully. "But nothing I can't handle."

"Don't worry about it! I'll help—I can mop and clean pretty well, too! I'll even help you sweep or prepare dinner..."

Alfred watched as his charge's foot began to bounce up and down rapidly. He considered reminding the young lady that it was an unsightly habit, as well as an easy give away to how she felt, but the shift of those golden eyes and her fingers moving across her lap made him choose instead to incline his head slightly.

"Lady Elliot?"

"Yes?"

"It is a lovely day today, isn't it?"

"The weather _is _pretty nice," she glanced out the long glass windows, looking thoughtful as the gears in her head began to turn.

"Though it is a shame you cannot spend it with Master Dick, it would seem a waste to let it go on while you remain in your workplace, do you not?"

"Well...I guess..." Elliot's eyes brightened and she stood suddenly, setting down her cup and turning on her heel. "I know, I'll go bug Roy—I mean, I think I'll pay a friend of mine a visit."

Alfred nodded his head as she shuffled past; lacing up her boots as she went and set her skateboard down. Elliot suddenly paused and turned to Alfred. "Unless you want me to keep you company—"

"I will be fine, thank you for your concern." Years and some people never did quite change, did they? Alfred nodded slightly. "Go on and have fun, shall I have dinner ready for you?"

"I'll grab something on my way back, thanks, Al." Elliot smiled brightly, waving to the man who was like a grandfather to her. "I'll see you later!"

"Good bye," Alfred waited until the door clicked shut behind her, silent for a moment before he sighed warmly, bending down and retrieving the untouched cup.

Though the three of them were so brilliant, even the brightest minds needed a push.

But in her case, a little bit more force was needed.

* * *

><p>"Stupid, hot, arrogant <em>prick<em>." Elliot subtly shuffled to the side of the hallway as a rather beautiful woman stomped past, heels clicking along the floor as she strutted.

Blonde curls tumbled down her shoulders, though her massacre seemed slightly smeared, she looked as if she'd been hassled. Her tight, curve complimenting silver dress slumped slightly down on one shoulder, and her cheeks looked flushed as she stormed by. "All I am, doesn't he see I want _more _than that?"

_Probably a fight with her boyfriend. _Deciding not to pry, Elliot continued down the gently lit hallway of the apartment complex, counting the numbers in her head before she settled in front of one door, the sleek mahogany shining back at her. A bright smile made its way onto her lips, one hand clutching a bag of apples and snacks as the other went up and knocked against the door.

_He should be in right now... _Elliot frowned for a second. _Well, he might be off doing who knows what to... If he's not home I'll just leave these and—_

Purposeful footsteps sounded on the other side of the door and she perked up, straightening as they approached the door. She heard an aggravated sigh and frowned a split second before the door swung open.

"Lindsay, I _told _you that I—" Eyes a daring, bright blue blinked once, Elliot's face one of slight surprise as Roy gazed down at her. Flaming ginger hair tousled along his head, wild and unkempt, as if he'd just rolled out of bed, he was also shirtless—_was he asleep at this hour?—_but was luckily clad in a pair of black jeans.

There was a brief moment of silence, Roy looking startled before he blinked once more. "Ellie? What are you doing here?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out," Elliot said simply, holding up her other hand she added. "I brought apples."

His chiseled features contorted into one of confusion for a moment and he rubbed his eyes, as if making sure he wasn't still asleep. When the dark haired pony-tail wearing girl was still at his door he arched a brow, leaning against the frame as he eyed her thoughtfully. "What makes you think I have time to hang out with you?"

"Well, I was hoping." Elliot shrugged, turning on her heel. "But if you're busy then—"

A firm hand clasped the hood of her jacket and she stumbled backwards as he pulled her into his apartment. Elliot smiled, adjusting her sweater as he locked the door behind them. Without missing a beat she turned to his counter, noting the few boxes of take out that were shoved to the side, but otherwise his kitchen seemed fairly well-kept. She set the apples down and Roy shuffled behind her, walking around the small island in the kitchen.

Some part of her chastised her for being so careless about his state of dress—he was _shirtless _for goodness sake. But then again, she'd grown so close to him she couldn't find it in her heart to be embarrassed or ashamed, and besides, it wasn't like he was ugly or anything either.

Roy paused, running a hand through his hair and watching her as she shuffled around his kitchen, setting the bag of snacks down and pulling out several apples, her new destination the sink. He blinked once at the sight before he turned away. "I'll be back in a second."

Elliot hummed, washing the apples and setting them down as she moved to his drawers next. Roy paused briefly in the doorway before adding. "Hands off the knives."

Elliot paused, pouting _she was not a child_, but he wasn't risking another accident like before when she'd been trying to make dinner for them and ended up giving herself a gash along her palm. _Accidents happen, okay?_

She waited till his room clicked shut before slipping her pocket knife out from her belt, spinning it in her fingers before she grinned.

He did say not to touch _his _knives after all.

* * *

><p>Slightly reluctant, but not wanting to walk around half naked with <em>her <em>in his home, Roy shrugged on a shirt, glad he'd taken a shower after the events that'd taken place in his home prior. The sudden memories from minutes before and the idea of Elliot in his apartment shuffled through his mind—_stop, _not the time. _Not _the time.

Roy stepped across his room and paused before the door, hand resting on the knob for a moment.

She was in his apartment.

_And why should that be weird all of a sudden? _He withheld an aggravated sigh. She'd been here plenty of times before, to the point he could walk out of his room one morning and not be surprised if she was on his couch or in his kitchen. _She's like a sister. Sister._

He nodded more to himself than anyone else, silently chanting the word in his head. He'd known her before all this, before she'd thrown herself into their world, she'd been that girl Bruce always brought along, stuck to Dick like glue, this bright, crooked, sheepish smile on her face.

"_I was hoping I could hang out with you."_

_You're not doing me any favors right now, believe me. _Roy pushed the door open, blue eyes moving towards the kitchen where she sat on one of the stools, swinging her legs. He swallowed dryly, following the stretch of skin before her shorts shielded anything else and he turned his gaze to her face, Elliot looking content as she slipped an apple slice past her lips and chewed.

Golden eyes turned to him and she pushed the plate of sliced apples closer. He frowned, narrowing his eyes. "I thought I said—"

"Didn't touch the knives." She smiled crookedly as she twirled her pocket knife in her hands before she slipped it back into her pocket. "Did I come at a bad time?"

"No." _Yes. _Roy shook his head and took a seat beside her, slipping onto the bar stool and grabbing an apple from the plate. "Why aren't you with Dick or Wally?"

"I wanted to spend time with you." Elliot answered simply.

Roy paused briefly, a second, and he disguised his initial surprise by staring at the apple slice in his hand for a moment. "If you used your knife, I hope—"

"I washed it, goodness." Elliot rolled her eyes, turning on her barstool to face his apartment.

It was nice, very nice actually. With a long couch curving around the living room and a T.V at the center. The wooden floors led to a single room to the side, long windows following along the wall until it opened to a screen door for the balcony. It was simple but well off, and she couldn't deny the little relief she felt knowing he was doing fine. Then again, Ollie was always a softie when it came to the ginger, and she doubted he'd let Roy waste away in some run down shack.

But maybe coming here hadn't been the best idea. She could sense the weariness in his tone and the languid way he shifted, he was tired. They all were, really. The job of crime fighting was a demanding one, and if he wanted to spend the day alone, she'd gladly leave.

_I could always just go back to the Cave. _She frowned slightly at the thought. _But it would seem...weird to wander around... Maybe I should just train with Dinah._

Her thoughts came to a halt at the apple slice presented to her face, threatening to push past her lips and she blinked. Glancing to a dead-pan Roy before she bit down, chewing thoughtfully. "How have you been?"

"Better than ever," Roy replied easily, standing up as he glanced to her. "How have the missions for your little club going?"

"The _Team _is doing great," Elliot corrected, narrowing her eyes slightly as Roy rolled his eyes. "A few days ago we took down this drug ring—" Roy turned sharply to her and she rolled her eyes this time, waving him away. "It was a super venom steroid sort of thing, relax. Besides, it's not like I'm going to faint at the sight of a needle."

"No, but you're not above running away screaming your head off." Roy answered, crossing his arms over his chest as he eyed her warily. "You almost took that doctor out that one time we tried to get you to go to the doctor's—"

"We should look at the cup half full, not empty." Elliot declared suddenly, and Roy smirked.

"Not my fault you're such a dork."

"Years of quality education and the best you can call me is a dork?" Elliot pouted.

"It's a term of endearment."

"I feel the love." Elliot muttered until her eyes brightened. "But on another note," Roy glanced over, an apple halfway through his lips as Elliot beamed at him. "Lindsay, huh?"

Roy's gaze flattened and she continued to grin coyly, leaning back into the counter. His lips suddenly curved upwards into a smirk and he arched a brow. "Since when were you so interested in my love life?"

Elliot smiled, not missing a beat. "Since I found out you _had _one."

Roy's blue eyes flashed warningly, and Elliot simply grinned impishly, turning in her seat to face him as she leaned against the countertop. "I didn't think you were one to go for tall blondes."

"I don't really have a type," Roy responded breezily. _Dark hair, slightly tanned, bright eyes and slim. _Knowing he didn't have to explain himself, but for some reason finding himself doing it anyway he added. "She wasn't anything serious. Lives a few floors down, thought she'd swing by and pay a visit."

"Well, at least she...cares." Elliot offered, thinking back to the curses leaving her lips in the hallway. The dark haired girl shrugged, looking thoughtful before she turned back to Roy and added. "But when you _do _find that girl, I expect to meet her."

"Who are you, my mother?"

"Only your bestest friend and most trusted confidant." Elliot corrected.

"I could argue on that."

"Please, where would you be without me?" Elliot beamed, Roy stared for a moment, gazing at her smiling face before she stood from the stool and glanced from side to side. "So what would you like to do then?"

"Sleep." Roy answered, moving to his couch.

"Movies it is." Elliot nodded her head as Roy rolled his eyes, shuffling through his cupboards and tossing a blanket her way.

She caught the large bundle, only to tumble backwards onto the couch as the fluffy wool engulfed her. Roy smirked, hitting the remote and settling into the couch as she shuffled beside him, pulling the blankets around her and spreading them over him as well. The two shifted, moving their feet up onto the coffee table as they leaned back.

"What do you want to watch?" Roy spread one arm over the back of the couch, settling in and relaxing against the soft leather. Elliot looked thoughtful as she settled on her arm of the couch, curling over it and spreading the blankets further over her.

"A horror movie."

A pillow slammed into her face and Elliot jerked around, gaping at Roy as he snorted. "And have Dick complain to me about why you're checking closets again? No thanks."

"I haven't done that since I was eleven—you didn't seem any better when you were huddling with us that one time we were watching '_Paranormal Activity'_."

"If I remember correctly, _you_, were clinging to me... And Wally." _Not that I mind._

"I wasn't _clinging_. It was cold. And when the jump scares came on you were easy to hide behind. You were only a _convenience._"

"Convenient, huh?" Roy smirked, shoving her foot with his own and she rolled her eyes, unable to stop the upturn curve of her lips. The two of them settled back into the couch and Elliot felt her shoulders slump as she relaxed.

"I mean, that's the only reason why I'm here after all."

"...don't make me kick you out."

"You love me too much."

* * *

><p>"<em>Forty miles heading down east, a large shipment heading down to the cargo bay."<em>

Golden eyes slowly opened to the dimmed lights of the room before her, the brightest light coming from the menu of the movie they'd been watching earlier. Everything clicked and Elliot shifted, turning around in her bundle of blankets to gaze at the sleeping figure beside her.

Roy was sprawled out beside her, his arm propping his head on the other end of the couch as his chest rose and fell softly, gently. His brows no longer creased and his face relaxed, and Elliot blinked dazedly, glancing around tiredly, shifting her legs on to find that they were entangled in his longer, larger ones, and she slumped back against the couch, the warmth of the leather and the body beside her coaxing her to stay.

What had woken her up in the first place?

"_Copy that. Stand by until further back up."_

"_We're looking at around ten to fifteen men, possibly and most likely armed."_

Her eyes narrowed and with a rueful sigh she gently slipped her legs from Roy's and stood, rubbing her eyes and yawning as she adjusted her sweater so it wasn't slipping over one shoulder. Her ears listened and she followed the static of the radio frequencies, halting when it lead her to the shut, polished wood of Roy's bedroom.

...he wouldn't mind, right?

Figuring if he did she'd just let him walk into hers, Elliot slipped into the room, the musky scent of cologne wafting towards her as she breathed in the still air. Stepping over a pile of clothes and making her way over to the closet where the radio continued to hum, Elliot shifted through the closet door and pulled open another drawer.

The sleek, dark emblem of Roy's new costume greeted her and she paused, gazing at the caviler with an air of thoughtfulness, uncertain of the emotions stirring in her stomach. She was relieved, she guessed, that he was doing fine on his own, sad, that he'd pushed Ollie away, but then again, there was nothing she could do that they hadn't already done. Roy wasn't the type to listen to lectures and pleading words, his headstrong, hot headed temper needed to see for himself what he could and couldn't do.

_But I'm sure he'll be fine. _Elliot smiled to herself and reached past the suit and pulled out the small radio comm. The static and crackle of the frequency met her ears and she dialed down the volume and shifted the station, waiting until she picked up the noise again.

"_Your location?"_

"_West side of Star City, making our way toward the harbor now."_

"_Copy that." _

_Police radio. _Golden eyes gazed down at the thing in her hands thoughtfully, recalling the loose words of a shipment for some gang coming in later tonight. She shifted through her belt and pulled out her own comm. The link remained still, meaning the team hadn't finished with their mission yet either and she smiled, the gears in her head already turning as she turned, shutting Roy's drawers and setting everything neatly as she kept the radio and slipped from his room.

Adrenaline was beginning to pump through her veins and she laced up her boots, figuring she'd be fine without her get up tonight as she slipped her goggles over her head only to pause.

Roy was still soundly sleeping on the couch, a peaceful look on his hard or smug face and she gazed down at him, smiling faintly. _He looks nice like this. _Elliot tugged the blanket over his body and his brows creased for a moment, causing her to pause and hold her breath until he shifted, turning onto his side and she relaxed.

She'd prefer going out and fighting with him, but when she thought about the tired, taut shoulders, she figured she could handle one patrol herself. She'd been patrolling with Bruce and Dick for awhile now anyway, she could handle her own. While normally it would've been better to go back to sleep, but that was the cost, she mused, of choosing a certain way of life.

Cries for help could never be ignored.

Somewhat more confident then before, Elliot nodded her head and turned, gathering her things and clicking on her belt as she slipped out the door, gently closing it behind her.

It was time to kick some ass.

* * *

><p>"We need to get moving! Haul your asses up! Cops could show any minute."<p>

Elliot was silent, back pressed against the cool metal of the cargo crate before her. She tapped a button on her goggles and switched to infrared, watching the heated bodies below haul large crates upwards onto trucks awaiting shipment. Her eyes noted a few guns, and a group of roughly sixteen men, some burly and stout, others lean and lanky as they moved, shifting cargo around.

Her fingers were already maneuvering a small metallic disk in her hands, changing locks and gears and setting them into place as she whistled, a shadow passing overhead as R.V.2 soared upwards, giving her an eagle-eye view from her hologram.

A small grin cracked her lips and she typed in a command, watching as R.V.2 swooped downwards and landed on a cargo crate above the truck, cocking a head and giving her radio access to the conversation below.

"This shipment needs to be there by midnight, understood? Our buyer is _not _a patient man, and if this is even a _second _late, I can't guarantee even your own safety." The stockiest of the bunch snapped, pushing a cigarette past his lips and striking a match. The men beside him nodded curtly, shoving in another round of boxes.

Elliot narrowed her eyes, tucking and rolling from the shadows and shifting positions to get a clearer view. Large red stamps were pressed against the solid wood, and she glanced to R.V.2's camera, zooming in and pausing at the letters.

_FRAGILE._

Arching a brow she typed in a command key and R.V.2's camera scoped the entire crate, barely managing to identify a substance that made Elliot's skin crawl and a slow breath leave her lips.

Classic cocaine.

_Just an underground drug shipment then. _Lightly tapping a fist to her beating heart she inhaled and exhaled, calmly, slowly. _Just a shipment. You can take on these guys. _Golden irises flickered in the dim lighting of the streetlights along the harbor, she could taste the salty air on her tongue as she breathed, closing her eyes. _It's just drugs._

But that was part of the problem now, wasn't it?

Ignoring the lingering whispers she shook her head and refocused her goggles, playing with the disk in her hands until she flicked it outwards, letting it slide across the ground. A man turned, frowning at the silvery sheen as he stepped forward, aiming his gun at the sudden object until it began to beep.

"What the—"

With a single click of a button the disk expanded and a hiss filled the air as smoke quickly shrouded the men below. Elliot quickly turned as shouts filled the air and she leapt, aiming and angling her legs downwards as her boots collided into a face. A _crunch _hit her ears and she arched backwards, swinging her leg along with her and slamming it into the side of a head.

"We've got company! Let's get a move on!"

_Five to the left, six more to the right and up, two down, three more unaccounted for. _Elliot landed nimbly on the soles of her feet, rocking back and surging forward in a flurry of smoke as she ducked and dived, twisting on her heel and delivering a sharp kick into someone's jaw. _Three down._

A bullet whizzed past her head and she hit the ground, gun shots firing out into the smoke as the men aimed blindly. She waited, the smoke starting to clear and she ran forward, leaping upwards and delivering a punch into another jaw as she brought her knee up and slammed it into their gut. The body before her fell, but a fist came from the clearing smoke and caught her in the jaw.

Elliot winced, a sore, searing pain igniting from the punch as she arched her back and grabbed the man by the shoulders, using his weight and launching him over and into the ground as he tumbled forward. She breathed, chest heaving as the smoke was now nothing but lingering trails, and the remaining men trained their guns her way.

A whistle, R.V.2 dived forward and swiped a gun from one of the men's grasp. Elliot used the opening and slammed a few smoke bombs to the ground running forward and out of the gunfire as she made her way to the truck, fumbling through her belt as she skidded to a halt beside the truck.

Two burly men came barreling towards her and she lunged forward, grabbing onto the hook at the top of the truck and swinging her feet forward, colliding harshly into the man's face. His body stumbled, but he didn't fall, and the other man surged forward, grabbing her ankle and knocking her into the side wall.

Elliot's eyes went wide and her shoulder took the brunt of the impact, colliding coldly against the hard metal as she fell to the ground. The man she'd kick spat, rubbing his jaw as they marched toward her. "Who the hell are _you_? We don't mess around kid."

"Glad to hear," Elliot rolled her arm and swung her foot out, a box slamming into their knees as they toppled over and she brought her knees upwards into their heads. "I was hoping you wouldn't be going easy on me."

_Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god this feels great. _A breathless, wild grin touched her lips as adrenaline surged through her veins and she slapped stickers onto the edges of the truck, setting a detonator as she ran from the ramp and downwards, ducking out of the line of fire as men surged after her. _Who says I'm not ready? I've got this in the bag!_

With a click, the now empty truck ignited into flames, shattering the cargo of drugs. Golden eyes flashed and she ducked under an onslaught of guns, the bullets ricocheting off of the cargo box she took cover behind, some peeling through the metal and landing on the ground beside her. _But how to get through this..._

"We've got her cornered!"

Elliot frowned at this, glancing to the side and realizing she was caged in on either side of the cargo ships around her. With a sigh she stood, bracing herself and rolling smoke bombs between her fingertips as a man ran around the corner, aiming a gun her way.

But before she could lash out there was a whistle through the air and a sharp projectile shot past her head and into the man, knocking him out flat as Elliot blinked. Realization slowly dawned on her and her face paled slightly as she turned, her masked hero and demise standing proudly atop the narrow beams.

Roy's firm, muscular form was silhouetted against the moonlight as he tilted his head down at her, eyes narrowed beneath his mask and lips pulled back into a downward scowl, anger rippling off every shift of his muscles as he drew his bow back once more.

Roy Harper was _pissed._

For a heart stopping moment, Elliot's eyes widened as she worried he was about to strike her with one of those polyurethane foam arrows, rendering her immobile.

He'd done it before after all.

But another arrow whizzed past her head and into the chest of another goon, exploding against his chest and knocking him and another man backwards and into the ground. Elliot winced, rubbing the back of her neck and glancing to the side as Roy launched himself downwards and landed on the ground in front of her, nimbly, elegantly. With meaningful steps he marched toward her and she found herself backing a step as she laughed nervously. "H-Hey! Fancy running into you here—"

A firm hand grasped her collar and jerked her forward, Elliot stumbling forward as she caught herself against his chest and Roy's mask narrowed at her. "_What _do you think you doing?"

Swallowing, Elliot tilted her head upwards. "Fighting crime. That's kind of what heroes do... In case you haven't noticed."

Roy's face went flat, the kind of look that spoke volumes of the kind of anger he was radiating as Elliot offered him a shaky smile. _Guess I can't joke my way out of this. _"I just thought—"

"Are you an _idiot_?" Roy snapped, and Elliot winced, frowning as he set her down and glared down at her. "What are you thinking? Going out on your own, _using _my police radio—just because the League suddenly calls you guys a team it doesn't make you invincible—"

"I _know_ I'm not invincible," Elliot flashed back hotly. "But I know I can at least take on a couple bad guys on one simple patrol."

"Really?" In one fluid motion Roy drew his bow, and fired. An arrow whizzed past her head and Elliot's eyes blinked as a man crumpled down at her feet. A narrowed look came onto her face and she turned to look at him skeptically. "_You _can handle them?"

"You know, I don't need you doubting my every move." She wanted to feel guilty, she really did, and she knew she should. But right now, anger and annoyance was welling up and she needed Roy to just _understand _she wasn't some kind of kid that couldn't even take care of herself. "Roy, I can do this."

Roy's mask narrowed at her and she squared her shoulders, whistling.

R.V.2 swooped down, sharp talons skimming over her ginger haired friend and slamming into a goon creeping up along the narrow beams up top. The two of them watched as he toppled over and landed on the ground, unconscious, and Elliot frowned, looking up at him. "Why don't you think I can?"

Roy paused at that, brows furrowing when a volley of gunshots fired their way and he cursed, grabbing Elliot and slipping an arm around her waist as he drew his bow. "Hey, we can take them—"

Roy let the arrow fly and like that they were rising quickly into the air, and Elliot clutched onto her friend for dear life as they leapt over several cargo holds and landed several feet away from the gunfire, in the clear and in the middle of the road as they took off running. "We're out numbered and they have guns, we need to get to higher ground."

"I'm sorry," Elliot mumbled, and Roy glanced to her incredulously as she gazed down at the floor as they ran. "I technically just took your radio and went off on my own—and I get that's bad but," she narrowed her eyes and looked at him skeptically. "_Jesus_, Roy! Ever since I put up the cape all you do is talk about how I'm not ready or it's not safe—I'm not some kid, I've fought before, I've trained—_I know what I'm doing._"

"I know Bats has trained you—but did you ever think that maybe you're just not ready yet? Maybe this—" he gestured around them. "Isn't for you. I don't care if you can fight, maybe you just shouldn't _be _fighting."

"Is this because I'm a girl?" Elliot accused, Roy looked at her in disbelief and she eyed him thoughtfully.

"Wha—no! Women can be heroes—I am _not _having this conversation with you."

"Then you make no sense!" Elliot exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air, only to quickly bring them down as a bullet skimmed over their heads and they picked up speed. "What makes me different from everyone else? You didn't give Wally or Dick all this trouble, what did I do?"

_I'm worried. _"It's not that I don't think you're capable." Roy ran a quick hand through his hair and cursed, trying to figure out how to word this while dodging bullets as golden eyes gazed at him imploringly, and his chest tightened. "I'd trust no one else at my back—but this is _different._"

"What—"

"This _life._" Roy snapped. Elliot looked up at him, confused, but a bullet shot past and Roy bit out curses, grabbing her by the hood and jerking her into a nearby alley.

Thus leading to their current situation.

Elliot breathed softly, her back pressed against the cool brick of the wall behind her, while Roy's body radiated heat in front of her. Warm, burning, she blinked as she felt his chest rise and fall, heart beating rapidly as he braced himself against her. Elliot was silent, listening to the lulling _thump thump _of his heart as she breathed in the smell of musky cologne, this sharp, musky scent she always smelled with Roy. Different from Wally's warm, softer tones, and Dick's familiar cologne. It was _Roy._

When Elliot shifted, Roy's mouth suddenly went dry as he breathed, trying to still himself as the sound of footsteps ran past, guns and boots slamming against the pavement. But his mind was racing, and he could feel every part of her pressed against him, every shift and breath she took pushing against him, and Roy glanced down to the mess of black locks before him, barely tickling his chin as he inhaled.

_Apples and oil. _That weird, lingering smell of her workshop or tools always fell around her, but above that was the crisp fruity scent, and had this been different, Roy would have gladly taken the time to appreciate their position. Hell, he already _kinda _was, but he had to focus. He needed to get them to higher ground and explain to her why he was acting kind of like a dick and not her best friend because...

When the footsteps receded Roy counted to five before pushing away, the cool night air quickly enveloping him as Elliot quietly shifted and he turned, drawing his bow and aiming it at the mouth of the alley. When no one arrived he quickly turned. "We need to—"

Blue eyes blinked beneath his mask, and Roy stared dumbfounded at the empty space before him, his friend no longer where he'd left her when her voice whispered from upwards. "Up here."

_How did she..._He craned his neck backwards and blinked as Elliot waved down at him, somehow managing to scale the wall and sneak her way upwards without his knowledge as she lowered a rope and secured it against a pole. Roy blinked once, brows furrowing as he stepped forward and muttered under his breath.

_Did they all have to do that? _"Stupid Bats..."

"Oh, you're just jealous of us." Elliot grinned wickedly, disappearing from view and Roy braced himself against the wall, hauling himself upwards and landing nimbly on the roof as Elliot shuffled back to make room.

The two of them quickly made their way to the edge of the rooftop, Roy drawing his bow and notching another arrow as they aimed toward the running gunmen. Elliot glanced to her hologram, R.V.2 swooping overhead and she held up a small ball, claws enclosing around it as R.V.2 soared overhead, carrying the newly created weapon.

Roy waited and then let his arrow loose, the projectile shooting forth and slamming into the ground amidst the gunmen. They turned, aiming, but the polyurethane foam expanded, and with surprised shouts, they were all enveloped in the foam. Elliot whistled and R.V.2 dropped the metallic sphere, the entire thing extending and enveloping the criminals down below in a steel web.

As the muffled cries filled the air, the distant wail of sirens scattered the nighttime silence. Roy gazed down at the criminals below, making sure they would not escape as cop cars rounded the corner, and he turned, only to be met with Elliot's shit-eating grin.

"...what?"

"Tell me we did not just do some handy work right there." Elliot grinned, nudging his shoulder and while he wanted to angry and annoyed, he felt himself getting worn down as she continued to beam so stupidly at him.

"That was me cleaning up your mess."

"That was _us _working together!" Elliot corrected, smiling brightly, eyes shining, and Roy was beginning to wonder if her eyes had always been this golden as she nearly bounced up and down on her heels. "That was _us _kicking butt—something that should happen more often if you'd just join the team."

With a roll of his eyes Roy sat down on the rooftop rubbing the back of his neck as Elliot sat beside him, pressing her shoulder to his as he settled back onto his hands, his bow beside him. A breeze blew past the two, picking up strands of black and brushing aside ginger as a moment of peace suddenly came over them, the fight and earlier heart-pounding chase slowly dying away.

"When you put on this mask," Roy began suddenly, and Elliot was silent, allowing him to say his piece, because she knew if she said anything he'd simply snap and walk it off. "You're taking up this way of life—it's not something you can just put away whenever you feel like it. You're putting your life at risk." _And I don't know how to feel about that._

"I live with Batman." Elliot propped her chin on her hand as she gazed at him thoughtfully. "I'm well aware of the risks that come with this job, you know."

"I _know_, alright? But I..." Roy rubbed the back of his head in annoyance. "I think this isn't the life _for _you. You should just go to school, be normal—"

"You and I both know," Elliot smiled, her eyes soft, but the melancholy and memories were raw, real, and Roy's fingers twitched, but he refused to act on his thoughts. "That my life was never really _normal _to begin with."

Roy said nothing, and Elliot was silent as the hot headed ginger simply gazed out into nothing, thoughtful. Elliot gazed at him before she smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. Roy stiffened, turning his head halfway and arching a brow. "You're such a good friend."

"You'd be a mess if it weren't for me."

"If that makes you feel better, sure." Elliot blinked, her eyes growing wide as she shuffled through her bag. "I almost forgot!"

"What—"

"Say cheese!" Elliot brandished her camera and turned it to face the both of them. Roy blinked and Elliot smiled widely, clicking the button and a flash enveloped them for a moment before a photo slid out. Roy was dumbfounded for a moment while Elliot beamed. "That's a keeper—well; I wish you would smile from time to time. You look so awkward in this."

"I hope you know you're speaking to _your _ride home."

"You know, if you're so worried all the time, you should just join the team—"

"And follow League rules? No, thanks."

"...you're just being stubborn."

"Excuse me?"

"I blame the rebellious phase."

"Start walking, sweetheart."

* * *

><p>"<em>Recognized, B00: Mecha." <em>A light flared throughout the cave and scuffed up boots came into view as Elliot walked through the zeta tube.

Eyes turned towards her and Elliot smiled, waving to her team as her eyes brightened. "Hey! You guys are back—"

There was a blur and a gust of wind that pulled her hair back as Wally was suddenly in front of her. "Dude! Where have you been? I was expecting a welcome back when we were done!"

Emerald eyes beamed at her and Elliot smiled, laughing slightly as she made her way to the group. "I was—"

"Yes." The deep voice suddenly had Elliot pausing mid step as Batman turned their way. Wally froze beside her and Robin glanced her way, tugging his shirt downwards as Batman's eyes narrowed beneath his cowl. "Where were _you_?"

"I was... running a few errands." Elliot started, Batman's eyes narrowed and she swallowed. "And a few...visits."

"Despite orders to remain in the cave—"

"I'm sure E—Mecha, was using her time wisely." Dinah cut in, a smile on her face as she flashed a knowing look Elliot's way. The black haired girl blinked and Green Arrow looked confused until something seemed to click and he perked up, grinning until Batman sent the two a long, flat look only Batman could pull off.

"But even if we needed help, we would never get the chance," Robin started up again, and Elliot glanced between the two groups in confusion as Wally nodded beside her, leaning over.

"During our fight with Amazo someone shot an arrow," Wally coughed not so discreetly. "A _green _arrow."

Robin brandished the arrow, holding it out and Green Arrow frowned, stepping forward. "You were watching us—baby sitting us, you still don't trust us!"

The blonde archer pulled forth one of his own arrows from his quiver, holding the two side by side and Robin blinked. "...and that's not your arrow."

"Then that means—" Wally perked up beside her and Elliot felt confusion beginning to overflow around her in waves as she tried to understand what was happening—you miss _one _mission. "Speedy!"

_Speedy? _Now Elliot _knew _this couldn't be right as she glanced amongst her team. Kaldur smiled at this. "He has our backs."

"Wait," all eyes turned toward her and Elliot frowned, brows furrowing. _I just spent the entire night with him. _"I don't think it's—" Batman's eyes narrowed at her and she cut herself off, coughing into her hand as she quickly corrected. "Actually, maybe it is!"

Robin frowned but Wally continued to grin, swiping the arrow and holding it up. "Cool! Souvenir!"

As if something had struck him he glanced up with a breathless grin. "Oh yeah, we brought you something back too!" Elliot cocked her head and Robin gestured to the table laid out in the center of the table, a dismantled robot resembling what looked to be a monkey on the table. Golden eyes brightened and Wally grinned proudly. "Figured you'd want to take a look—"

"You should have _seen _him try and chase it down—"

"Dude!"

Elliot could only smile, laughing at her two friends while the others grinned, but her mind was racing, thoughts churning and gears turning as she withheld a frown. She'd _been _with Roy, and if that wasn't Oliver's...

Then whose was it?

* * *

><p><strong>You guys are just so wonderful. Thank you for all your kind reviews and follows and favorites. I promise to do my best and live up to your hopeful expectations! :D<strong>

**ROY GETS SOME TIME.**

**I feel like he needs it, especially with his lack of participation until latter, but I promise I'll weave him in here and there. ;) Thank you all so much for being so supportive and I'm glad you are all liking Elliot so far! I'm looking forward to delving more into her character as the story progresses, and you have no idea how fun it is for me to sit here with all this knowledge and just kind of secretly slide bits and pieces in here and there.**

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR READING! :) I hope you're all looking forward to the next chapter!**

**Marshmellow-**

**-OUT!**


	5. even one hair has a shadow

**You guys are so great. :) And while I would love to be, no, sadly, I am not secretly Batman.**

**But it's tempting, believe me.**

**I do not own Young Justice.**

* * *

><p><strong>Veni Mecum<strong>

Chapter Five:

"_Etiam capillus unus habet umbram."_

_._

_._

_._

"Even one hair has a shadow."

* * *

><p>"<em>I... Can I really stay here?" Small hands trembled uncertainly as she set them down on the bed before her, full, bursting forth with blankets and a soft, warm downy scent as she turned, eyes wide as she clenched the sheets beneath her small fists.<em>

_Dick was beaming at her from the doorway, small and proud beside Bruce Wayne's towering figure as he allowed a small, rare smile. The older man inclined his head. "If you want it."_

"_I do apologize for the state of the room; it hasn't been in use until now." Alfred added, dusting the sheets and nodding to the younger girl. "But if you'd like—"_

"_It's perfect." Elliot opened her mouth and paused, biting her bottom lip as she breathed. Don't cry, don't cry, you're too happy to cry. "I—this is more than enough, thank you."_

"_What are friends for?" Dick smiled, walking over and clapping her on the shoulder despite his shorter stature, and the nine-year-old smiled widely. "You get to live with us now!"_

"_This is your home." Bruce said, and Elliot paused, gazing down at the floor. "And you're apart of everything just like everyone here."_

"_Thank you." Elliot repeated, clutching at the sleeves of the oversized t-shirt she wore, going past her knees, scarped up and wobbly from the earlier ordeals and trials she'd been through as she shook, holding back sobs. "Thank you."_

_A firm hand touched her head and she flinched. Bruce's eyes softened and she forced herself to remember that this was not her father—this man would never, ever bear such an awful title, he was different, kind and wonderful. He would never hurt her._

_They would never hurt her._

_This was home now._

_And she couldn't be happier._

* * *

><p>"El, what are you doing?"<p>

Elliot blinked, not moving from her spot amidst her piles of trinkets and metal pieces and tools as she fumbled around with the latest work in front of her, dismantling former robotic pieces belonging to the monkey Professor Ivo had created. "Trying to reprogram the monkey Wally brought back."

She didn't need to look to know that Dick was probably eyeing her thoughtfully as she turned her head away as a spark flew at her. The black haired teen at the door was silent as he watched his closest friend for a moment longer, familiar with the sight and the process as Elliot rubbed at her cheek, smearing a larger oil stain and rearranging some wires.

Before she could react a fluffy towel smacked into the back of her head, jerking her forward and Elliot blinked, turning around with an indignant look as Dick simply grinned at her. "What was that for?"

"Get changed." She frowned, but paused when she finally took in his appearance, swim trunks and sunglasses as he crossed his arms over his chest. "We're going to the beach, _remember?_"

Elliot frowned, looking thoughtful as she tilted her head to the side. Dick rolled his eyes, giving the golden-eyed girl a moment until her mouth opened into a small 'o' and she sat back, blinking.

"That's today?"

"Uhuh."

"...right now?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

Dick raised a brow, lips curled upwards as Elliot looked wistfully toward her work station, a bolt sliding off the end and toppling to the floor with a _clank. _Knowing full well that the team had established a little beach party today just to relax once in awhile, she'd mumbled her agreement when Robin had mentioned it to her.

But as much as she enjoyed the outdoors—and she did, honestly, she felt herself grow torn as she twiddled with the wrench in her hand, the dismantled robot in front of her while R.V.2 was perched in another corner, red eyes blinking at the two as the robotic bird cocked its head. She _really _wanted to get her own mechanics into this thing, ridding whatever programming Ivo had done and personalizing this thing as her own, but the beach was nice...

"Do you think I could bring this—"

"No." Robin seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself as Elliot pouted, looking toward the other teen pleadingly as he smirked.

"I mean, I might as well wait for Wally—"

"We're heading down in five." Robin flashed her his dazzling smile and turned, waving behind as he called after her. "Or we're dragging you down there!"

The door closed behind him and Elliot opened her mouth only to have nothing to say in reply as she sighed, slumping and resigning herself to leaving her workshop for the day.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hello<em>, Megan! We should go to the beach everyday!" M'gann cheered, nearly bouncing in place as the rest of the team followed in behind her.

The salty sea breeze was pleasant, cool and crisp against them as the sun shone down, warm and bright. The waves were lapping against the shore, and the shoreline of Mt. Justice was a grand spot to hang around, gulls cawing overhead and casting long shadows downwards.

Elliot held up her camera and took a shot of the water, slowly wandering closer to the waves until Superboy mindfully pulled her back from tripping over a wandering crab.

"First, a moment of silence for our...absent comrade." Robin sighed, pressing a hand to his head in mourning and Elliot pouted, absently kicking at the sand.

"I offered to wait..."

"Poor Wally," M'gann glanced downwards, the group well aware that the red head's first day of school began today, leading to his absence for the hang out. But the auburn haired girl quickly perked up as she latched onto Elliot's arm, startling the girl and nearly knocking her camera from her hands. "But you can't just stay inside Mecha! This is our chance to have some fun and bond!"

"Of course," Elliot nodded absently, tucking her camera back into her tool belt as Kaldur gazed at her quizzically.

"Mecha, you... Brought along your tool belt?"

"I never leave home without it."

Robin cracked a grin at that, rolling his eyes behind his dark aviators as he skillfully unclipped the belt and tossed it onto a towel behind them. Elliot turned, flashing him a narrowed look as he grinned impishly, and M'gann laughed cheerfully.

"But you look so much cuter without it!"

"I feel naked." The jacket she wore over her gray bikini top and shorts provided enough cover, but Elliot wistfully looked toward the Cave until Robin slung an arm over her shoulders.

"You just need to get your nose out of your oil can—"

"Hey!"

"—and into some fresh," his grip on her shoulder tightened and Elliot's eyes widened as she turned, "ocean water!"

Before she could react, the boy wonder sent her tumbling forward and into the crashing waves. Elliot shut her eyes as freezing water quickly submerged over her head and she surged upwards, gasping for breath as Robin cackled on shore and M'gann stifled a giggle, Superboy cracking a grin while Kaldur smiled. "Oh, you're such a _dick._"

Robin's grin widened at the inside joke and Elliot laughed, bounding out of the water as she shuddered, dripping and soaking but thanking the fact that she'd pulled her hair into a ponytail as she tossed the now soaking jacket towards Robin. He caught it with ease, but fell back in surprise as Elliot lunged, tackling him to the ground with a war cry as they fell into the receding waves.

M'gann cheered, bounding forward and into the incoming waves and Kaldur skillfully dived into the water, disappearing beneath the salty blue. Elliot laughed, shoving mounds of water toward the Martian as she giggled, splashing in retaliation. Golden eyes glimmered brightly and Robin laughed beside her, ducking away from a spray from Kaldur.

She caught a body still stuck on shore and Elliot blinked as Superboy stood there, gazing silently into the ocean as he frowned. The black haired girl rolled her eyes, grinning as she trudged from the water and made her way onto the sand, making a wide circle around the unsuspecting clone. Without a moment's hesitation she lunged, attempting to tackle the other teen into the water.

But the plan painfully backfired as Elliot's entire weight barely made Superboy stumble, and she fell past him and back into the water as he blinked, looking down at her quizzically as she sat up, spitting out salt and looking up at him in disbelief. The others broke out into laughter and Superboy glanced to the side before awkwardly offering her a hand, Elliot smiled reaching upwards and tugging hard on the teen.

...

...

...

Nothing.

Superboy frowned at her as Elliot gaped at him in disbelief. "Are you just going to sit there or what?"

"S.B, do her a favor and just get into the water before she hurts herself."

* * *

><p>"I think these came out great!" M'gann gushed, shuffling through the photos as Elliot shrugged, toweling off her now washed and currently drying hair as the group lounged around, fresh and blissfully at ease from their trek through the sun and sand. "Can I keep this one?"<p>

"Of course," Elliot shook her hair and reached over, idly rubbing off Robin's shorter locks as the raven sat beside her on the couch.

"Perhaps we should find someway to keep all the photos together," Kaldur suggested, looking up from the photos from their day at the beach. "A file of sorts."

"Like a scrapbook!" M'gann added, her eyes brightening at the very idea. "It'd be perfect! We could put all of our memories and photos into it and look back on them!"

"Why?" Superboy frowned, looking confused by the very notion and Elliot smiled. "What good will looking at them later be?"

"Because memories are precious." The black haired girl gathered the photos, handing one to a happy M'gann and sliding the rest into her belt where she'd put them away for later. "We can look back and remember everything from the time; it's like keeping a bit from that very moment with us forever."

With a grin she added to the rest of them. "I think I can work something out with that scrapbook though."

"_Batman to the Team, report to the mission debriefing center." _The sharp ring of the intercom rang out throughout the echoing cave walls, and the teens glanced upwards in faint surprise as the sound of Batman's voice.

Elliot pulled her goggles up over her head and stood, her own domino-like mask in place as she idly adjusted Robin's cape, and the rest of them made their way to where Batman had ordered, expecting a mission to be in order.

The idea quickly made Elliot's already pleasant mood rise upwards, and she was grinning as they all filed into the cave, hoping Bruce wouldn't deem it necessary to make her sit it out this time until M'gann let out a small gasp of surprise and she glanced upwards, only to find Batman, Red Tornado, and Green Arrow centered around one individual amidst them.

Bright, golden blonde hair as pure and yellow as corn tumbled down her taut shoulders, full and reaching her lower back, a dark green suit mimicking Green Arrow's adorned the unknown person's figure. Elliot blinked in surprise, registering the fact that there was someone new here today, and she was around their own age actually, which could only really mean that this had to be a new member then, right?

"Looks like we've got someone new to join our club." Robin mused, confirming her suspicions, and Elliot could only stare in slight wonder at the blonde archer—quiver and bow? Archer.—as she propped one hand on her hip and not so discreetly watched them all file in, glancing over them and away as she shifted, the faintest hint of perhaps worry or discomfort in the movement.

The five of them stood, filed together, shoulder to shoulder, and the blonde's eyes seemed to take in the automatic stance as she shifted, on her own. Elliot remained silent, figuring Batman had something to say—Bruce _always _had a purpose, he never simply _did_ things—until another costume of green came into view, a large, welcoming smile following a blonde beard. "El—" Batman narrowed his eyes and Oliver quickly amended. "Mecha!"

The blonde archer opened up his arms wide, grinning from ear to ear. Elliot offered the older man a bright smile, remaining still where she stood between Superboy and Robin, and Oliver blinked, deflating when he realized he wasn't going to get a hug out of her. Batman's usual frown lessened, if only a fraction, at her usual reaction to Oliver's attempts at instilling himself as her 'uncle', even though Dinah had managed to convince her to call her 'auntie'—but she was _Black Canary_, so Elliot really had no choice, same with Wonder Woman. And at some point, Oliver had made the mistake of even offering to let her call him 'dad' for reasons she was still unsure about.

Oliver had been on Bruce's bad side for weeks after that one.

But the other blonde in the room seemed to grow curious at the action, gazing at Elliot with a new found thoughtfulness, and Elliot glanced her way for a moment before smiling despite Oliver's pout. "Hey, G.A."

"I expected more of a warmer greeting," Oliver sighed. "Bat's—" Batman narrowed his eyes. "_Batman_, has trained you well it seems." Quietly he added. "You don't have to be like him you know."

"Oh, she knows." Robin interjected, and Oliver glanced over to the boy wonder as Robin smirked, slinging an arm over his friend's shoulder. "Trust us."

Realizing he could never win against the Bats' hold on this one, Oliver sighed, settling back and crossing his arms over his chest with a frown. Elliot continued to smile while Batman turned to the team, his mouth opening as he prepared to speak.

"_Recognized: Kid Flash, B03." _A bright light filled the dim room from the mouth of the zeta tub, and Elliot perked up, turning and expecting to find her red headed friend as Wally stepped into the room.

_Oh...god._

"The Wall-man is here!" Wally declared excitedly, decked out in beach wear and fully prepared for the day in the sun that had already passed as he stepped forward. "Let's get this party star—" His foot slipped and the speedster hit the floor, beach ball bouncing away and over Batman and Red Tornado's shoulders. Wally blinked, a white strip of sunscreen down his nose. "—ted?"

Elliot withheld a grin, Robin smirking, and to her surprise, the blonde girl spoke up. "The Wall-man, huh? _What _exactly are your powers?"

Wally frowned, clearing himself of all his beach equipment and moving to stand beside Elliot and Robin. "Uh, who's _this_?"

"Artemis." Dark eyes glittered and she smirked, setting her hand against her hip. "Your new teammate."

"So I _was _right." Elliot mumbled, turning to Wally with a smile she added. "Welcome back, Kid, how was school?"

"Kid Flash, never heard of you." Artemis frowned and Wally turned to Elliot with a bright grin. "And he-ey, Mecha! It was _terrible_ of course, especially since I didn't get to see you in your—" Batman's mask narrowed. "I mean, you should totally transfer—" Robin scoffed.

Wally slumped and he sighed, offering Elliot an exasperated, but bright smile. "It's good to see you again."

"But I haven't heard of you either," Elliot turned toward Artemis, smiling slightly but looking curious. "Are you new?"

"She's my new protégé." Oliver quickly spoke up, moving to stand beside the other blonde archer and Elliot looked up sharply at that as Wally stepped forward, eyes wide.

"B-But what happened to your old one?"

"_Recognized: Speedy, B06." _Elliot's eyes brightened and she turned; the zeta tube's light dying down as a familiar head of flaming ginger hair stepped into the room. "Well for starters, he doesn't go by _Speedy _anymore." Roy squared his shoulders. "Call me Red Arrow."

_Someone sounds jealous. _Elliot tugged at the collar of her uniform, glancing to the side as Oliver stepped forward, a small smile on his face. "Roy, you look—"

"Replaceable." Stepping forward and decked in the new uniform she'd seen him in a few nights before, Roy's mask narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest. "You—"

"Hey, Roy!" The ginger haired archer was cut off as Elliot stepped forward, grinning brightly up at him as he paused, glancing down to her. "How've you been? Are you finally joining the—"

"Good, and no." Roy turned his head to her briefly, momentarily pulled from his annoyance and the tension in the room.

"You should." Wally piped up.

"I'll pass—"

"You're missing out." Elliot shrugged.

"I don't think so." Roy stopped, remembering why he was here as he turned back to Oliver, who'd been smiling at the exchange. Roy's eyes narrowed and Elliot contemplated how she could diffuse this quickly growing time bomb as Robin sighed beside her.

"That's not what I meant, you said you were going solo—"

"So why bother finding a new replacement?" Roy scoffed, tipping his chin upwards. "Can she even _use _that bow?"

"Yes, _she _can." Artemis cut in, stepping forward and tipping her head upwards to narrow her eyes at Roy. Elliot glanced back and forth between the two warily, tempted to be bias and stand beside Roy through whatever, but pitying the bad position the other blonde archer had found herself in.

"Who _are _you?" Wally exclaimed, and Artemis and Oliver quickly looked up.

"I'm his niece."

"She's my niece."

"_Another _niece?" Robin mused. Elliot caught the light tone to his voice, and made a mental note to expect some information digging on this new member as Kaldur spoke up.

"But she is not your replacement." The Atlantean stepped forward as Roy turned his head. "We have always wanted you on the team, and we have no quota on archers."

"And if we did, you _know _who we'd pick." Wally added, Elliot inclined her head, cat-like golden eyes meeting the white space of mask as Roy frowned. Artemis' brows creased for a moment before she stepped forward, smirking.

"Whatever Baywatch, I'm here to stay."

Roy scoffed, turning away and preparing to leave until Elliot gripped the tight back of his cavalier suit, tugging the shirt slightly and forcing the ginger to stop. Kaldur stepped forward, voice calm and peaceful amidst the rising tension. "You came to us for a reason."

"A reason named Doctor Serling Roquette."

Elliot's eyes widened as Robin's did, grinning as he typed on his hologram. The black haired girl looked up sharply at that, lips turning upwards in a bright smile. "What about her?"

"You know who she is?" M'gann inquired and Elliot nodded her head quickly.

"Of course! I've studied all of her latest designs and experiments—I tend to disagree with some of her programs, especially since I'm more of an engineer than a robotics gal, but her work is _genius_."

"Nanorobotics genius and claytronics expert, at Royal University in Star City," Robin pulled up the information, screens displaying across the cave. "Vanished, two weeks ago."

"Abducted two weeks ago." Roy corrected. "By the League of Shadows."

"Whoa, you want us to rescue her from the Shadows?" Robin inquired, Wally's eyes went wide as the two fist bumped.

"Hardcore!"

"I already rescued her." Roy said simply, and Elliot rolled her eyes.

"Figures."

The ginger shot her a look and she smiled brightly at him. Roy stepped forward and walked over to the hologram of the blonde haired scientist, holding up his own device as a new hologram appeared, graphics of a machine Elliot wasn't familiar with popping into place. "Only one problem, the Shadow's had already coerced her into making this."

The long, sleek black cylinder seemed to be equipped with codes and sequences Elliot was already trying to dismantle in her head. The structure of the entire thing built in ways she could only dream of getting her hands on as Roy continued. "Doc calls it the fog, comprised of millions of microscopic robots. Nanotech infiltrators, capable of disintegrating anything in their path—concrete, steel, flesh, bone. But its true purpose isn't mere destruction, its theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen intel to the Shadows."

"That kind of circuitry is intense though." Elliot looked thoughtful, fiddling with her fingers. "And that means it can get through some heavy fire walls—"

"And can steal almost anything." Roy finished. "Weapons, strategic defense, cutting-edge science and tech."

"Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking," Artemis listed off, rolling her eyes to the side with a sigh. "Yeah, sounds like the Shadows."

Elliot found herself curious as to the blonde's familiarized statement with the villainous league, while Wally simply scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest beside her. "Like you know _anything _about the Shadows."

Artemis simply smirked and the speedster nearly stomped his foot. "Who _are _you?"

"Roquette's working on a virus to render the fog inert." Roy said finally, and Robin glanced up beside her.

"But if the Shadows know she can do that..."

"They'll target her." Roy pulled up a new map, the blueprints of what looked to be a school coming into focus. "Right now she's off the grid. I stashed her at the local high school's computer lab."

"You left her alone?" Oliver quested, and Roy glanced to the other archer.

"She's safe enough for now."

Oliver stepped forward, opening his arms pleadingly. "Then let's you and I keep her that way."

"You and I?" Roy arched a brow. "Don't you wanna take your new protégé?"

Oliver opened his mouth to protest, but Batman laid a hand on the older man's shoulder, shaking his head. Elliot's foot shot out, lightly kicking Roy's shin as she gazed up at him quizzically. The ginger's frown lessened for a brief moment as Elliot crossed her arms over her chest. "You don't have to be so mean about it, you know." _Your spot has always been wide open._

"So you're defending her now?" Roy muttered, a hard look coming over his face as his shoulders squared and Elliot rolled her eyes.

"Because you need _me _to protect you? You _know _where I stand." _I'm your friend first._ Roy glanced to the side as Elliot gazed forward, willing him to look at her. "Roy—"

"You brought this mission to the team. It's their mission, which means it's hers now too." Oliver's shoulders lowered and he faced Roy evenly.

Turning away from the girl beside him Roy scoffed, stepping away and walking forward. "Then my job here is done." Before he stepped through the zeta tube he sent Elliot a small nod in farewell, doing the same to Kaldur, Robin and Wally before he turned away. _"Recognized: Speedy—"_

"That's _Red Arrow_." A golden light illuminated the tube and Roy squared his shoulders as the light enveloped up. "B06, _update._"

And like that, he was gone.

* * *

><p>"<em>Everyone online?"<em>

Miss Martian's voice cut through her head clear and wide, and Elliot rubbed the back of her neck out of habit; still getting accustomed to the sudden intrusions herself as Artemis suddenly spoke up, the blonde's thoughts cutting through crystal clear. _"Ugh, this is...weird."_

"_And distracting." _The glow of the computer screen in front of her lit up the famed Dr. Roquette's face, and while Elliot was increasingly tempted to peek over and examine her work, she willed herself to continue swinging her legs by Robin's side as Kid munched on a bar beside her. _"Coding a distributive algorithm virus on a kiddie computer with less ram than a wristwatch is hard enough. Now I have to hear teen think in my skull?"_

"_Lady, do you always complain when someone tries to help you out?" _Kid inquired, emerald eyes bright against the dark of his stealth suit, and Artemis rolled her eyes.

"_Pot, kettle." _She gestured to the two. _"Have you met?"_

"_Hey, hey, I do not need attitude from the newbie who drove Red Arrow off the team."_

"_That is so not on me!"_

"_Fate of the world at stake?" _Roquette stressed out, glancing between the two in disbelief, and Elliot rubbed the back of her neck once more before shifting through her tool belt and setting down a small rectangular box.

"_It's a wireless router, personalized, so no tracking sequences." _Roquette arched a surprised brow and the black haired girl slipped out a few cables and offered them to her. _"It's nothing like at your labs, but it's still some cutting edge stuff coming from where I got it."_

_Meaning custom made thanks to a little pleading Bruce Wayne's way..._

"_...um, thanks." _Roquette looked fairly impressed, setting in the codes and adjusting the wires to her work. _"What—did you come up with this stealth tech?"_

"_Yeah." _Elliot stood up more proudly, golden eyes shining in the dark classroom. _"I'm more of a hands on engineer, metals and stuff, but the hardware went well with the software, so I was testing out some coding processors that'd cover up the inter links—"_

"_Establishing a ghost file." _Roquette nodded, typing away rapidly at the keys. _"Not bad."_

"_I'm a bit of a fan of your works." _Elliot admitted. _"Your studies and papers on inter-robotics using the gear down function is what I based one of my own creations off of—it worked great by the way, I turned the malfunctioning sequence to auto and—"_

"_I didn't take you for such a geek." _Artemis mused suddenly, smirking as she crossed her arms and faced a surprised Elliot. _"You look more like—"_

"_You don't know anything about her." _Wally quickly snapped. _"So maybe you shouldn't say anything at all."_

"_I'm just into tinkering with things, I'm more of a grease monkey really—"_

"_I was just trying too—what're you, her boyfriend?" _Artemis retaliated, turning swiftly and narrowing her eyes at Wally. _"She can speak for herself is she thinks I'm being rude."_

"_You weren't—"_

"_Well, no, but—Maybe you shouldn't try and drive everyone off this team!" _Wally thought back hotly.

"_I appreciate it, Wally, but—"_

"_I am not!"_

"_Are too!"_

Robin placed a hand on Elliot's shoulder, shaking his head with a sigh as the girl looked back and forth between the two, opening and closing her mouth as she tried to think of some way to stop the argument when Kaldur quickly cut in.

"_Enough."_

"_She started it." _Kid muttered, turning away with a pout.

Artemis narrowed her eyes until she scoffed, walking away. _"How about I just help Miss Martian and Superboy patrol the perimeter?"_

"_Good idea." _Kaldur murmured, and like that, Artemis stalked off. Elliot gazed after her, wondering if all archers were just hot-headed and impatient as Robin look over her shoulder at Kid and added.

"_You might cut her some slack. It was her arrow that saved your butt against Amazo."_

"_What? No—that was Speedy's, I mean, Red Arrow's arrow, right?" _Kid thought back desperately and Robin smirked.

"_Not so much."_

"_I was with him that night you guys were out." _Elliot added. _"It couldn't have been him."_

"_Humph, well, still not giving her the satisfaction." _

"_You know, I can still hear you." _Artemis thought back, and Kid's eyes went wide as he groaned, grabbing his head.

"_Wait," _Robin turned to her, arching a brow. _"You were with Red Arrow? I figured you just snuck out and did some solo patrolling so Batman wouldn't find out."_

"_Well, we went patrolling, in a sense."_

"_And you didn't tell me?"_

"_Was I supposed too?"_

"_You went without me?" _Kid thought quickly, interrupting her and Robin's conversation and looking to Elliot in disbelief. _"Dude! We're best buds, I would so go patrolling with you—"_

"_Uh, we were kinda on a mission." _Robin added.

"_But still! I can't believe you'd just go with Red Arrow!"_

"_Jealous, Baywatch?" _Artemis thought snidely, and Kid stood up, despite the fact that she wasn't here.

"_Oh, what would you know—"_

"_I couldn't get the Justice League." _Roquette pinched the bridge of her nose, hunching over the computer, and Kaldur stepped forward.

"_The virus won't be of much use if we cannot find the weapon. Can you track it?"_

"_My utility fog is not a weapon—it's science, great science." _Roquette added proudly, but glancing back to the screen she frowned. _"And of course I can track it, but I'd have to go online. Might as well rent a giant billboard with 'assassinate me' on it!"_

Kaldur placed a hand on the older woman's shoulder, and Elliot smiled. _"We will protect you."_

Roquette glanced backwards, gazing at him for a moment before she turned, punching in a key. _"Tracking the fog now."_

Kaldur nodded, and turning to Robin he added. _"I'll send you and Superboy to pursue the fog."_

"_On it." _Robin stood, glancing to Elliot he paused. _"Do you—"_

"_Go." _Elliot nodded, smiling and Robin grinned, running past her and making his way out of the school. A sudden chill seemed to go through her as the black cape disappeared from view, and she stood beside Kid, finding some faint comfort in the familiarity of it. The red head beside her brushed his shoulder against hers slightly, and Elliot inclined her head, the gesture noted.

"_Miss Martian, reconfigure the bioship so Robin and Superboy can pursue." _ Kaldur ordered.

"_Ready."_

"_Kid, you take guard outside the door." _Kid stood, glancing to Elliot and she rolled her eyes, motioning him off. The red head grinned and slipped outside the door, leaving Elliot alone for the briefest of moments until Kaldur glanced to her. _"Mecha, you stay with me."_

"_Got it." _A small smile and Elliot offered. _"Don't worry, we can do this."_

"_...I know that we can." _Kaldur glanced away, looking down at the floor for a moment as he admitted. _"But I fear Red Arrow may never believe so."_

"_Ro—Red's just a stubborn ass." _Elliot waved him away. _"Don't let him bug you."_

"_That is...reassuring."_

"_Trust me." _Elliot beamed, adjusting her goggles over her mask as she continued. _"He's just being all broody and moody, but in the end, he really does care."_

"_I see." _Kaldur looked slightly put off by this sudden news as Elliot simply nodded, slipping off the counter she sat on as she paused briefly, tilting her head as she listened, eyes narrowing beneath the shade of her goggles as she fingered her belt, slipping out her own batarangs and fingering them at her side.

"_Hey Aqualad, do you believe in gut feelings?" _The Atlantean glanced to her as she shifted, the batarangs hidden from view as Elliot kept her face neutral.

"_I would not stake my life on them, but yes, I do."_

Roquette's typing filled the room as the shadows seemed to shift along the walls, and Elliot breathed.

"_You'd be surprised how many jams they've gotten me out of." _The moment the door to the classroom creaked open Elliot flung the weapons in her hand, a shuriken slicing through the air and narrowly missing Roquette as Kaldur shot in front of her. Elliot narrowed her eyes and a figure slipped forward, dropping one of her batarangs to the floor and standing. "Not bad, kiddies."

"Doctor, get down!" Kaldur exclaimed, lunging forward and pushing the blonde scientist to the ground as a new batch of shuriken flung outwards, hitting his arm.

"Mm, that had to hurt." Long, wild black locks tumbled from behind a mask resembling the cat from Alice and Wonderland—the Cheshire cat, Elliot recalled—as the assassin sped forward, only to be intercepted as Elliot swung her staff outwards, the steel slamming into the desk across and blocking off her path.

"Atlantean skin is quite dense." Kaldur replied, and Elliot narrowed her eyes as the assassin tipped her head forward.

"And my shuriken are quite poisonous."

With a lunge Elliot swung her staff, the assassin ducking downwards and stepping back as she flipped over the table. Elliot followed after her, leaping over the toppled table and shooting her foot out as Kaldur readied his weapons. _"Miss Martian, Kid, we are under attack in the computer lab."_

"_On our way!" _Artemis thought back, and Elliot grunted as the assassin swung her sai across, the sword nearly nicking her cheek as the teen lunged forward, nearly knocking her feet out until she leapt upwards.

"What's the 'M' stand for?" The assassin purred, and Elliot narrowed her eyes as she angled her sword downwards. "Mommy?"

"What's the mask for?" Elliot shot back, swinging her foot out and knocking the legs out as the assassin toppled over, stumbling back as she flipped over. "Too ugly to show your face?"

Kaldur lunged, bringing his own water swords down and the assassin ducked swinging her sword around as Roquette backed up into the wall. A sword went flying and Kaldur brought his arm upwards, water flying through the air and knocking the weapon off course as it impaled itself into the wall beside the scientist's head.

"Almost," the assassin mused, leaping backwards as Kaldur rushed forward. "Poison slowing you down?"

"Jellyfish toxin." Kaldur bit back. "I'm largely immune."

The masked woman snapped her head forward, slamming hard into Kaldur as he fell back. Elliot lunged, clicking the end of her staff as it ignited into an array of blue sparks at the end and she swung. The assassin let out an audible sigh and swung her foot back, letting out a hum of amusement as Elliot swung her own foot out, knocking away the block and swinging her staff around. "Not bad, not bad."

Elliot stumbled, a hard fist colliding into her cheek as she slammed into a few tables, knocking over a computer as she shook her head, trying to regain her bearings as the assassin raised her arm, angling her sword. "But not good enough."

A sharp whistle seemed to split the air and an arrow knocked the sword from her hands, the assassin shooting back in surprise as Artemis pulled back another arrow, eyes narrowed. "Don't move."

"This is getting interesting," the woman took a step back and glanced to the crackling electricity running off Elliot's staff, the girl shooting her a crooked grin.

Artemis let the arrows fly, the assassin ducking this way and that as she deflected the shots. Elliot's eyes shot over to the door where Miss Martian and Kid Flash appeared, and the assassin before them stilled. "Maybe too interesting."

Elliot swung her staff and Artemis let her arrow fly. The assassin slammed a smoke bomb into the ground and Kid lurched forward, arms outstretched only to catch hold of nothing as he tumbled into Artemis. The speedster quickly backed away, a look of disgust on his face until they all turned, only to be faced with a vacant spot as the wisps of smoke trailed away. "Gone."

"She's getting away!" Roquette snapped, looking up with narrowed eyes. "You're letting her get away!"

"This is all your fault—" Kid quickly rounded on Artemis and Elliot blinked. "You were on perimeter, how'd that Shadow get in?"

Artemis' eyes narrowed, and Miss Martian stepped forward, her brows creased. "That's not really fair, I was outside too."

"Outside...being distracted by her!" Kid amended, with a small smile M'gann's way he added. "Besides, I can't get mad at you." _"You gave me mouth to mouth."_

"_We heard that!"_

"Dang it!"

"_You needed mouth to mouth?" _Elliot looked up, alarmed, and Kid simply flashed her a bright smile.

"_Not anymore—actually, I wouldn't mind double checking—"_

"I didn't do half as well on my first battle," M'gann offered, stepping forward and placing a hand on the archer's shoulder. "And I know you can't have been Green Arrow's sidekick for very long."

"Focus everyone." Kaldur stepped forward, and all eyes turned his way. "The Shadows will be back."

"_Robin to Aqualad." _Elliot paused at Robin's voice over the com, and the team fell silent. _"We're over in Philadelphia, and we've located the Shadows' next target; STAR Labs. But we're too late—it's destroyed, totally destroyed. The Fog decimated it."_

"_This is bad."_ Elliot grimaced, and she could almost feel Robin do the same.

"_Really bad. S.T.A.R Labs is cutting edge science, and now their secrets are in the hands of the enemy." _There was a moment of silence before Robin spoke up again. _"What's our next move?"_

"Rescan for the Fog." Kaldur ordered, turning toward the rest of them as Elliot pocketed her staff.

"We're moving the Doctor."

* * *

><p>Elliot was used to handling thick silences.<p>

So many years of living with _the _Batman, you tended to adapt and learn how to live with the silent, sometimes brooding man. Elliot considered herself rather adept at being able to stand thick tension from interrogations, to sharp, deafening silences of waiting.

But seated loyally beside Kid as he sat on the table beside her, shooting Artemis a dirty look, the mental link between them taut and silent, the golden-eyed teen found herself glancing to the side awkwardly, not sure of what to say. The blonde archer stood beside the scientist, glaring back just as hard, and Elliot idly fiddled with the metallic plate in her hands.

Yeah, it was..._kinda _awkward.

"_That was pretty cool," _Elliot thought suddenly, and the two beside her seemed to jump at the sudden thought as she fiddled with a bolt. _"The stare down you had going with the assassin."_

"_Um, thanks." _Artemis looked faintly surprised, glancing away before she glanced back and offered her a faint smile. _"You too."_

Kid huffed beside her, rolling his eyes, and Elliot idly patted his shoulder as she shuffled through her mind for things to say as the glaring around her resumed. Kid slipped his arms around his chest, looking away in annoyance. _"What the heck does she know about you anyway? Calling you cool and—"_

"_She doesn't know anything," _Elliot surmised, nodding her head sagely as she reached up and ruffled the bright red locks sitting on Kid's head. _"Which is why it's all the more meaningful that she'd think it was cool."_

"_Besides, Baywatch," _Artemis spoke up, narrowing her eyes at the speedster. _"I'm sure she doesn't need you hovering over her shoulder at everything."_

"_He's not my—"_

"_And she doesn't need you distracting her too!" _Kid quickly shot back, shoulders squaring as he rounded on the blonde and she straightened, narrowing her eyes. _"Or are you trying to fail this mission?"_

"_That is so not—"_

"_Enough." _Kaldur's loud, clear cut voice went through them like glass, and they all paused as their leader seemed to sigh in his mind.

"_What?" _Kid and Artemis thought back, scowling at each other when they realized it was in unison.

"_We are all aware of your arguments through this link." _Kaldur began calmly, but even the calm and peaceful Atlantean seemed to be on his edge with the two. _"And you will both cease this useless fighting at once. Miss Martian, stay in camouflage mode while I make a perimeter sweep."_

There was a sudden abruptness to the end of the command that made Elliot pause, her fingers slipping into her belt and rolling a few metal balls between her fingers as she tensed. Kid simply huffed beside her, looking away in annoyance as Artemis scowled, doing the same.

But the hair on the back of her neck rose and golden eyes flashed as the door suddenly slammed open, and another assassin—Black Spider, leapt into the room, landing along the wall and shooting a spray of webs out from his palm. Elliot was up, Kid leaping to the floor and bracing himself in front of the doctor as Artemis drew her bow.

A metal hook shot out and Elliot whirled around, Hook stepping from the shadows and into the light as he swung the chained weapon around and she ducked, tumbling to the ground and drawing her staff out as she ran forward. Kid shot past her and she swung her staff outwards, colliding into the running chain above her head and knocking it roughly to the floor, Hook scowled, the burly man yanking back as she moved with the tug and brought her legs out in a kick.

"_Artemis, can you distract him?" _Elliot ducked a punch and flipped over a desk, landing softly on the floor. _"I need a shot, just keep him busy while I work on something."_

"_I can do it!" _Kid quickly interrupted, rushing past and towards Hook, only to be knocked to the side as Black Spider swung a desk around, tangled in his webs. _"Uh, give me a second."_

"_I can do it." _Artemis drew her bow and fired off, Hook turning to her with narrowed eyes as he lunged and Elliot ducked behind a desk, pulling out her screwdrivers and dismantling the metal pieces in front of her as she adjusted a few screws.

"Don't stop working!" Artemis ordered, and Elliot frowned at the glint in the metal in her hands, and she turned it, narrowing her eyes as she caught sight of the assassin from before—Cheshire, Artemis had informed her—aiming a crossbow toward the 'Doctor'.

The arrow shot through the air as Elliot slipped one final piece into place, a desk shooting through the air to block the attack as the assassin lowered her weapon and leapt downwards. "Martian's here!"

Elliot tossed her newest work up into the air, the metal square humming as it glowed a gentle blue hue before hovering in the air for a moment. There was a clicking noise and Hook's chain trembled, suddenly shooting off course and slamming into the metal square due to the magnetic force. Elliot grinned, but quickly shot up as the disguised Miss Martian was tackled to the floor, and Cheshire angled her sword downwards.

But the fallen figure turned, Miss Martian flashing them a smirk as Cheshire reeled back. "We've been duped!"

Miss Martian rose upwards and into the air, shifting back into her original form. "You'll never find Dr. Roquette!"

"Never is such a long time," Cheshire sighed, turning around and sprinting off. "Hold them off!"

"Pursuing their leader!" Artemis quickly called back, and Elliot looked up in surprise as she sprinted past. "Take them down!"

"Do you need help?" Elliot stood, unfolding her skateboard as the board hovered in mid air, and Artemis seemed to hesitate before quickly shaking her head.

"You are _so _not the boss of me." Kid snapped, slamming his fist into Black Spider's face as he whirled around, and Artemis rolled her eyes.

"Just do it!"

A foot slammed into her board and Elliot went flying, the electromagnetic static between her boots and the board the only thing keeping her upright as she lurched, whirling around as Hook pulled angrily at her makeshift magnet, scowling at her. A shaky grin touched the black haired girl's lips and she extended her staff.

A shot of red web suddenly flew over her head and Elliot ducked, blinking upwards as Black Spider flew over her and extended his hands outwards, only to be knocked aside as Kid slammed into him. "Need a little help?"

A burly arm swung down over her head and Elliot arched her back, bringing her board upwards to block the attack as she flashed Kid a grin. "I'm good."

Black Spider flew into the speedster, knocking him over and Elliot propped herself upwards on her board, hovering in mid air as she adjusted her goggles. "You look like you need a little bit though."

Kid scowled, and Elliot felt her lips turn upwards until Miss Martian spoke up. _"Mecha, Kid, we need to end this now."_

"_It's like you read my mind, beautiful." _Kid smirked, and Elliot flashed Miss Martian a crooked grin.

The two girls quickly turned, Miss Martian flying overhead as she used her telekinesis and swung the magnet box over their heads, forcing Hook's chain to follow suit as he tugged, scrambling along the ground, and Elliot leapt off her board, pushing off against one of the chairs and twisting mid air as she swung her feet around and slammed it hard into the man's head, knocking him over.

_Thank you Dick for all those acrobatics lessons. _Elliot smiled breathlessly, her chest rising and falling as she settled down onto the ground, and Miss Martian suddenly swooped downwards, enveloping her in a wide hug.

"_We got ours!" _Miss Martian cheered, and turning to a stunned Elliot she added eagerly._ "That was like our first tag-team battle! We should do this all the time! We can come up with moves and tricks—oh, and that flip you did was amazing—"_

"_I think I've got my work cut out for me right now," _images of Gotham's night time skylines and her current position between the dynamic duo and this team, Elliot offered her a faint grin. _"But we can work on it."_

"_That's great and all guys, really cute." _Kid thought back earnestly, and the two turned to find the red head beside an unconscious Black Spider, offering them a shrug between the bright red bonds wrapped around him. "But a little help?"

* * *

><p>"You want me to <em>what<em>?" Kid flashed her an incredulous look, and Elliot offered him a shrug, rubbing the back of her neck as the wind blew her ponytail back, and the skateboard beneath her hummed, zipping through the air in an attempt to keep up with the—currently slowed down—speedster beside her.

"Go easy on her," Elliot offered again, looking awkward for a moment before she sighed. "She seems...nice. Rough, a little insecure—but nice. I mean, if Ollie's willing to take her on, and Bats is too, what's the harm?"

"Uh, she's _rude_, snarky, mean, and she took Roy's place!" Kid bit out, looking crossed and horrified by the very notion of being civil with the new blonde archer. "Why should we be nice to her?"

"Because you'd do the same for me." Elliot answered simply, and Kid frowned, looking away with a huff.

"But you're _different_."

"Different how?"

"Way better than her at least!" Kid slowed down considerably as Elliot attempted to adjust her skateboard's speed, pressing the board to the max. "Why're you taking her side anyway?"

"I feel kind of bad for her," Elliot looked thoughtful as she pulled her goggles so they rested atop her head, the thin but sturdy fabric of her own domino-like mask, missing the white piece across and revealing her eyes at least, feeling tight against her face. "She doesn't have you or Robs or even Roy like I do, and she suddenly has to prove herself to people she's never even met before?"

"So?" Kid argued, looking childishly put off as Elliot rolled her eyes, flashing him a small smile that made her golden eyes look like honey, and Wally couldn't look away as her gaze softened.

"She also saved your life from what I've heard," the black haired girl turned her gaze forward as the familiar figures of their friends appeared, and she slowed the board to a stop. "And I'm grateful for that, no matter what kind of a person she is."

But it didn't help, Elliot supposed, when they came to a skidding halt beside them as Miss Martian lowered the assassins they'd captured down, and Artemis looked to the side. "She got away."

"Oh, _big _surprise!" Kid mused dryly. "Notice, we got ours."

Elliot flashed him a look and he pouted, looking aside until he noticed the discarded mask on the ground, emerald eyes brightening. "Cool! Souvenir."

Golden eyes blinked in realization at the mask and Kaldur limped forward, tugging darts from his chest—_holy shit. _Elliot quickly rushed to the Atlantean. "Aqualad! Are you alright?"

"Fine," the teen answered gruffly, tugging out another dart and Elliot fumbled through her tool belt as he looked over her head and at Artemis. "Did you see her face?"

"...it was dark." Artemis admitted, turning away from them, and Elliot paused as she pressed bandages to Aqualad's wounds, looking at the blonde archer curiously from the corner of her eye as Kaldur shook his head.

"It is fine. Robin and Superboy have neutralized the Fog, and Doctor Roquette is safe. Thanks to no small part from you."

Artemis turned slightly, hesitant despite her tight stance as Kaldur inclined his head. "Welcome to the Team."

A brief pause, and then a small smile seemed to turn upwards on her lips as M'gann rushed forward, offering a bright smile as well. "I've always wanted a sister—here on earth, I have twelve back on Mars, but, it's not the same—and now I have two here!"

"Um... I wouldn't know." Artemis admitted, looking put off by the very notion until she smiled. "But, thanks."

"Welcome to the group," Elliot offered a grin, and Artemis turned to her, something seeming to pass through those dark eyes for the briefest moments, not unlike familiarity, but the blonde archer seemed to shake it off as Elliot stuck her hand out. "I don't know if we ever did introductions, but I'm Mecha."

"Artemis." The blonde smiled, shaking her hand. There was a moment of silence and M'gann nudged Kid, causing him to scowl as he sighed, looking down before look upwards.

"Yeah, welcome." Artemis offered her hand and the two shook, Elliot beamingly stupidly beside them when something clicked and she blinked in realization.

"That's right!" The messy haired girl quickly rifled through her tool belt and M'gann clapped her hands excitedly as she and Kaldur moved to stand beside each other, Kid following suite, and Artemis blinked in confusion at the group before her. "Get together guys!"

"Um, what's going on?" The blonde arched a brow and Elliot shuffled over to a wooden post, setting her camera down.

"We have this tradition of taking pictures." Elliot explained, adjusting the position as she set the timer and turned to Artemis with a brilliant smile. "You'll get used to it."

"I don't really do photos—" Elliot grabbed her hand and tugged her forward, Artemis stumbling as she settled in between and Elliot stood beside Kid, her lips curling upwards into a bright smile. "And I'm not really photogenic—"

"Say Shadows!"

"Shadows!"

A flash of blinding light and Elliot slipped from under Kid's arm, jogging over and picking up the photo that'd slipped out as everyone peered over her shoulder. She'd have to do another one on the ship when they regrouped with Superboy and Robin, but for now, this would do.

She caught a slight glitter to Artemis' eyes, and Elliot smiled, closing her camera and holding the camera up to the moonlight, smiling at it fondly.

"That's a keeper."

* * *

><p>Elliot looked thoughtful as she shifted, messy black locks framing the sides of her face as she tugged at her ponytail and adjusted the goggles over her eyes.<p>

Artemis was huffing before her, throwing kicks and punches at the sandbag suspended from the ceiling, and the black haired girl twiddled with her fingerless gloves, tugging at the leather as she contemplated her next move before she inhaled, setting her bag down.

The sound seemed to finally alert Artemis of her presence in the training room and she turned, blinking with wide eyes at Elliot as she offered a small smile. There was brief moment of silence, the sound of her breathing filling the room as Elliot adjusted her goggles. "Mind if I join?"

"No. Uh, no." Artemis shook her head, looking away before she glanced back to Elliot. "You've been here longer anyway, you shouldn't have to ask—"

"It's always polite." Elliot shrugged, stepping away from her bag and pulling her arms over her head as she stretched.

"...yeah." Artemis glanced away, another moment of silence filling between them as she rubbed the back of her head before turning to the sandbag again. "Say, are you and G.A close?"

Elliot blinked, looking surprised at the question as she cocked her head and turned to the archer. "...I guess. He's kind of like a weird, friendly uncle to me." _Who Bruce is always watching out for because he thinks he's up to something funny whenever he keeps inviting me over to their...family dinners. _"Why?"

"I thought you looked familiar." Artemis explained, and Elliot froze, tensing for a moment as she wondered if Oliver would really offer her identity out like that even though he knew how Bruce felt when Artemis added. "He has a picture of you and...Red Arrow from his prom in his wallet."

Elliot nearly slumped to the floor in both relief and disbelief as she pressed her head against the cool leather of the balancing beam in front of her. "Of course he would."

_There are way too many pictures of that night. _Elliot had a few herself from her camera set away somewhere, and one or two pinned to her wall—Roy had been being an ass about going and Dinah had kept insisting he'd regret it, so to her surprise, he'd offhandedly asked her to go while they were watching a movie, and she'd agreed, knowing he'd do the same if she needed a date to one of Bruce's galas. And it had been fun, of course, even though Elliot wasn't the fondest of formal dances, and Roy was shifting from being awkwardly nice to his normal self, until they'd both spotted a crime going on and she'd ripped off her dress and he'd changed into his uniform as they busted out and ran off to go do their duty.

Needless to say, it was a story for another day. But it'd ended with ice cream, so Elliot had deemed it a good experience.

"He seems sentimental like that," Artemis admitted, smiling slightly. "He's kind of goofy."

"Super lame." Elliot added, stretching her leg out as she grinned. "When I was younger he kept trying to get me to call him Uncle, after awhile he even tried Dad." _Of course that only lasted for five minutes after Bruce found out._

"He does the same—I mean, I would, since I am his niece." Artemis quickly explained. "But he acts so weird about it, it's kind of..."

"Dorky," Elliot supplied.

"Yeah! He's like that uncle that thinks he's cool and hip when he does things—"

"But he's not!"

The two grinned, laughing slightly at the common ground found over Oliver's tendencies, and while Elliot would feel bad, she assumed Oliver would rather them get along...right? _He'll get over it._

"...wanna spar?" Artemis inquired, her voice sounding nonchalant, but Elliot could see the tensing of her shoulders and she smiled, rolling her shoulders back and grinning.

"Sure."

* * *

><p><strong>I personally really like Artemis' character. At first, I was kind of hesitant, but she really grew on me and while I'm not <strong>_**totally **_**all for Spitfire, I do like it, and I'll do my best to add perhaps hints of it throughout the story just for a little flare, but the pairing for this one is Wally/Oc/Roy, so Spitfire fans, you may be disappointed.**

**But next chapter we get a little insight on the relations between Elliot and the dynamic duo, so look forward to it! :)**

**Otherwise, thank you all so much for your kind reviews! It's interesting to see how many of you are shipping Roy and Elliot together so far, and I wonder how many of those may change with more Wally centered chapters, but look forward to a fair fight! ;) And I'm surprised how many of you caught the subtle little foreshadowing with Elliot's feelings about a certain substance, but don't worry, I'll keep hinting at it here and there.**

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR WONDERFUL TIME AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED!**

**Marshmellow-**

**-OUT!**


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